Fire service spends less than expected but still warns of rising financial pressures
Hampshire’s fire authority has spent £1.1 million less than expected but has warned of rising financial pressures.
To balance the 2025/26 budget gap, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight’s Fire Authority (HIWFRA) will need to draw money from its reserves.
At a HIWFRA meeting on Tuesday, October 7, chief financial officer Rob Sarfas, said: “The headline position at the end of quarter one suggests that instead of having to draw £1.8 million from the Budget Equalisation Reserve, the figure is more in the region of £700,000 as a draw.
“Still in the position where to make the finances balance this year, we need to take money out of reserves on a one-off basis, but we were in a better position when we set the budget back in February.”
In August, the authority agreed to lobby Hampshire’s MPs and the fire minister, Alex Norris MP, for additional funding.
The new chief fire officer, Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, called once again on the government to fund the service due to its financial position.
Mrs Cohen-Hatton said: “I’m calling on the government and the Fire Minister to support us in considering the funding that we need to meet our risks.”
According to Councillor Rhydian Vaughan, the chairman of the HIWFRA, MPs from Portsmouth, Southampton, and Basingstoke and Dean have written to the government.