Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service is facing cuts to its funding via Government Revenue Support Grants ‘at a faster rate than expected’.

The service will receive £1.47 million less in funding this financial year, with further cuts, totalling nearly £5 million, expected by 2020.

Fire chiefs have sought to assure the public that despite the cuts, the safety of firefighters and local residents and businesses will remain paramount.

Peter Dartford, Chief Fire Officer at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue, said: "As the Government continues with its austerity measures, in Staffordshire we are continuing to balance the books in a careful and considered manner, while ensuring that our firefighters and residents are protected.

"We anticipated cuts and have planned our finances accordingly to ensure that we can meet the needs of our communities, both in terms of frontline firefighting and vital prevention work which has played an important role in helping to reduce incidents, and ultimately, save lives.

"However, the Government's announcement will see reductions implemented on a faster scale than we had envisaged. This means that the transformation of our service will continue to remain a key priority in the coming years to enable us to deliver the significant savings required as part of the austerity agenda.”

Original source

Tamworth Herald