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Storms Ciara & Dennis: Multi-million pound cut to local services responding

Fire and rescue services battling Storm Ciara have had their annual funding cut by £141.5 million over the last four years, according to Fire Brigades Union (FBU) analysis of England’s local government finance settlement coming before Parliament today (Wednesday 12 February).

The worst storm-hit areas in England – Cumbria, West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester – have had their annual fire and rescue service funding cut by a total of £16 million since 2016.

  • Cumbria has had funding cut by £1.5 million, or 15%
  • West Yorkshire has seen a £4.8 million funding cut, equivalent to 11%
  • Lancashire has endured a £3.8 million funding cut, or 12%
  • Greater Manchester’s funding has been cut £5.9 million, more than 10%[1]

After years of cuts, Westminster funding for services has increased by just 1.6% in cash terms this year, almost entirely negated by inflation[2]. This amounts to a 14% cut over the period of the local government finance settlement 2016/17-2020/21.

Matt Wrack, FBU general secretary, said:

“Firefighters are facing a battering from the weather, but years of relentless cuts have undermined our ability to handle major weather events like Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis.

“We keep getting told that these are ‘once in a generation’ or ‘once in a century’ events – well, we were told that just three months ago when floods hit in November. Climate change is only going to make things worse, but funding for those on the frontline has been slashed.

“The paltry cash-terms increase this year doesn’t even begin to reverse the years of decay and decline in our service. Give us the tools and we’ll do the job – but we need investment and proper pay, terms and conditions.”

Firefighters have been called out to flooding, water rescues, fallen debris, damaged property, and countless other incidents resulting from Storm Ciara, while emergency fire control rooms have been swamped with calls. Services are braced for another assault from Storm Dennis.

Despite their role as the primary responders to floods, firefighters in England still do not have a statutory duty to respond to flooding. This deprives them of the funding, training, resources, and pay needed to respond effectively to events like Storm Ciara. Firefighters have this statutory duty in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

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