Isle of Wight residents will pay more for fire services in the coming year, 2023/24.
Agreed yesterday (Tuesday), by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority, households across the region will pay an average £5 more — or 6.63 per cent — a year.
As part of the budget, an undisclosed sum was approved for investment on the Island.
The details were kept secret, in a document only councillors got to see.
Overall, Islanders will pay more than £4,350,200 — £80 per year each, on a Band D property.
The fire service has been able to avoid cuts and will invest in the organisation, but it also recognised the impact the tax increase will have on residents.
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Roger Price, said he had concerns.
He said:
“I know when you look at it £5 is not a lot, but when you put it in with all the other tax increases, the accumulative figure really is unacceptable these days.”
Cllr Price also said he thought the fire authority should write to the government asking for more funding, due to the pay increases it has approved for staff.
Fire service officers said it was a challenging decision to make but, across the region, 61 per cent of households were rated Band A to C which means they will not see the average £5 rise.
The service was allowed to raise the fire precept higher than it originally thought, bringing in an additional £1.88 million.
Officers said the extra funding was essential to managing the budgets in future years and delivering improvements to its on-call workforce.
Without the increase, the fire service said it would be facing a £2 million deficit and would need to make plans to address ‘considerable deficits’ in the future, which could lead to service reduction.
The rise will take effect from April 1.
Here’s how much you will now pay towards the fire service:
- Band A – £53.62
- Band B – £62.56
- Band C – £71.49
- Band D – £80.43
- Band E – £98.30
- Band F – £116.17
- Band G – £134.05
- Band H – £160.86
This will be on top of fees for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, Isle of Wight Council and your town, parish and community council.
The Isle of Wight Council will set its budget tonight (Wednesday).
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