Fire engines could be cut as County Durham service faces funding crisis

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 14 Nov, 17:01 · Archive

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority faces a funding shortfall expected to exceed £3m by 2029.

County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority faces a financial 'cliff edge' that could lead to fire engines being withdrawn and services reduced. The authority anticipates a shortfall of just over £1m by 2028, but expects this could escalate to more than £3m the following year if temporary government funding is removed. Keith Lazzari, director of corporate resources, told councillors the authority was experiencing pressure as government funding declines while costs continue to climb.

One proposed saving involves withdrawing a second fire engine from a station, which could deliver around £1.34m in savings. The authority is also contending with mounting pressure from inflation and staff pay increases, which could result in expenditure exceeding previous forecasts. More than 60 per cent of the authority's funding is now drawn from council tax.

Cllr Richard Bell said the financial situation was 'very concerning' and cautioned difficult decisions could lie ahead. He said: 'We've got the cliff edge in 2028 when we don't know what's happening. It could lead to removing appliances and cutting services.' Mr Lazzari said the authority would need to continue to prepare for the possibility of further reductions in funding going forward.

How it is being reported

• Fire crews could be cut in County Durham as service faced financial 'cliff edge'Fire engines could be removed and services cut as County Durham’s fire brigade faces a financial ‘cliff edge’.Sunderland Echo · 13 Nov, 17:28
• Fire engines could be cut as County Durham and Darlington fire service faces funding 'cliff edge'County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority faces a funding shortfall expected to exceed £3m by 2029, with falling government funding and rising costs threatening fire engine removals and service reductionsChronicleLive · 13 Nov, 13:17

In this story: County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Authority · County Durham · Darlington

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log