Residents across the West of England will pay just £1.49 more for fire and rescue services in 2021/22.
Image © Ceri Breeze / Shutterstock.com
The 1.99 per cent increase – equivalent to 2.9 pence per week for the average band D household – was approved by councillors on the Avon Fire Authority last week.
The new charge of £76.43 is not the only change to council tax bills residents will see in April.
Most local authorities across the area are set to increase their budgets by 1.99 per cent and charge an additional three per cent to secure extra funding for adult social care.
The average band D household will pay £70 to £90 more, depending on where they live.
Avon and Somerset police and crime commissioner Sue Mountstevens saw her request for a £15 increase to pay for 70 new police officers rejected, so is now proposing a rise of £13.39, or 5.88 per cent.
Avon Fire and Rescue Service’s 1.99 per cent rise will bring in an additional £599,000.
North Somerset Council leader Don Davies, who chairs the Avon Fire Authority, told its meeting on February 10: “The process we’ve used this year of ongoing member involvement throughout the process has meant we’ve had the opportunity to form the budget as it’s gone along.
“The budget isn’t someone else’s that we comment on, it’s very much ours as an authority. I’d commend that approach for coming years. It’s by far the best way to do these things in challenging times.”
The increase was unanimously approved.
Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporter
