| Budget cuts across the public sector in Scotland will see a funding reduction of around 12% for the service which covers Dundee, Perthshire and Angus, according to a paper to go before the Tayside Fire and Rescue Board next week.
Chief Fire Officer Stephen Hunter will warn the board that up to 3% from last year’s sum will have to be cut in 2010/11 and almost £1 million will then have to be slashed from the budget each year from 2011 to make ends meet.
In a report on future budgets he states, “A high level analysis of Tayside Fire and Rescue’s provisional 2010/11 revenue budget shows a high proportion of costs (over 80%) can be allocated to expenditure on people.
“Therefore savings of this level leaves Tayside Fire and Rescue facing a difficult future and significant challenges in providing the current level of service it does to all its communities.”
Year on year, 4% cuts — £964,158 in 2011/12, £925,592 in 12/13 and £888,568 in 13/14 — will then have to be made.
Mr Hunter continues, “When the cash savings are compared to the running costs of Tayside, the situation becomes potentially critical.
“This hinges on the fact there is a certain level of expenditure within the total budget that can be classed as uncontrollable.
“This will include items such as rates, rents, licences and insurance premiums which it is difficult, if not impossible, to reduce.
“After this, excluding staff costs, it is only possible to reduce the service’s controllable costs as far as the requirements of the service will allow, after which the level and quality of service delivery may be drastically affected.
“There is limited scope to reduce the service’s controllable costs without severely impinging upon the quality of service delivery.”
He says an £825,000 saving could be made by withdrawing a full-time pump from a Tayside station, but the added cost would be the loss of 25 firefighter posts.
Withdrawing a retained pump or losing a senior officer would save just £72,000 and £60,755 respectively.
The news comes on the back of the service having already reined in spending, Mr Hunter says.
“Since 2008, Tayside Fire and Rescue has reduced its whole-time uniformed establishment by 18 posts.
“In addition, over the last five years, Tayside has made cashable and non-cashable efficiency savings of £914,320 and £2,300,358 respectively.
“It is feasible some of the savings required could be funded from the Board’s General Reserves, however, this cannot be viewed as a long-term sustainable strategy.”
The paper will be discussed by the Tayside Fire and Rescue Board at its meeting in Perth on Monday morning. |
