- Your service
- GDPR/Data Protection
- Freedom of Information
- Disclosure Log
- 2022 - FOI requests
- FOI 1815 - Fire Service...
What is the proposed Council Tax increase for 2023/24 in money and percentage terms for a Band D Council Taxpayer?
The proposed £5.00 increase for a Band D Council Tax payer in 2023/24 is equivalent to a 6.06% increase on the 2022/23 rate.
Why wasn't the percentage increase in your press release and consultation? Why are you trying to hide it?
We believe that setting out the proposal for each Council Tax band in cash terms, rather than as percentages, enables residents to see clearly how much the increase will cost them.
What has been the percentage and cash increase (Band D) for each of the last 10 years?
Band D | 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 |
£69.09 | £70.46 | £71.86 | £73.29 | £75.48 | £77.74 | £79.29 | £80.87 | £82.48 | |
£ increase from previous year | - | £1.37 | £1.40 | £1.43 | £2.19 | £2.26 | £1.55 | £1.58 | £1.61 |
% increase from previous year | - | 1.98% | 1.99% | 1.99% | 2.99% | 2.99% | 1.99% | 1.99% | 1.99% |
What has been the percentage and cash increase (Band D) in total in the last 10 years?
Band D total over 10 years £18.39 26.6% | |
What has been the revenue amount received from the Government in each of the last 10 years and how much has this increased in percentage terms each year?
| 2014/15 | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 | 2021/22 | 2022/23 |
£19,068 | £17,541 | £16,184 | £14,613 | £13,868 | £13,428 | £13,643 | £13,711 | £13,438 | |
£000 increase from previous year | - | -£1,527 | -£1,357 | -£1,571 | -£745 | -£440 | £215 | £68 | -£273 |
% increase from previous year | - | -8.01% | -7.74% | -9.71% | -5.10% | -3.17% | 1.60% | 0.50% | -1.99% |
What is the revenue amount received from the Government in total over the last 10 years?
Government funding settlement agreement over 10 years -£4,689 -24.6% |
How many fire and non-fire incidents were Cheshire Fire called to in each of the last 5 years?
Fire Incidents | Fire false alarms | Non-fire incidents | Total* | |
2017/18 | 2,773 | 3,039 | 2,047 | 7,859 |
2018/19 | 2,996 | 3,287 | 2,400 | 8,683 |
2019/20 | 2,378 | 3,195 | 2,566 | 8,139 |
2020/21 | 2,371 | 3,265 | 2,338 | 7,974 |
2021/22 | 2,383 | 3,224 | 2,663 | 8,270 |
How many lives were lost to fire in each of the last five years?
2017/18 | 4 |
2018/19 | 1 |
2019/20 | 5 |
2020/21 | 3 |
2021/22 | 2 |
How many voluntary firefighters do you have? Is that number increasing or decreasing?
We do not engage voluntary firefighters.
How many staff do you employ (FTE)?
788.56 FTE at 4/1/23.
How many of those are firefighters?
614.32 FTE including 188.82 paid on-call firefighters.
How many are not firefighters?
174.24 FTE fire staff – these include our non-operational community safety personnel, technical and fleet staff and those working in services such as human resources.
How many admin staff do you employ?
Without a clear definition of ‘admin’ it is not possible to provide a precise number. However, of the 107 non-firefighting roles in the Service, eight role titles include the words ‘administration’ or ‘administrative’.
How many Diversity Officers do you employ and what is their total annual cost, including pension costs?
One full-time Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor. The full cost of this role in 2022/23 is £46,766 including salary, pension and on-costs.
How many rainbow painted vehicles do you have?
Two vehicles have rainbow vinyl wrapping.
What vehicles are they?
A fire engine and a Citroen Berlingo van.
What is the reason for painting them in rainbow colours?
The vehicles are a highly visible signal of Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service’s support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people. They help to demonstrate we are an inclusive employer and that we stand with an often marginalised and underrepresented community.
What is the additional cost of painting the rainbow coloured vehicles?
The fire engine livery cost £2,496.58 in April 2019 and the Citroen Berlingo livery cost £1,236.89 in July 2019. The livery contractor applied a 10% discount as a gesture of support for our equality, diversity and inclusion work.
Are the rainbow coloured vehicles used in exactly the same way as the non-rainbow coloured vehicles?
The fire engine is an older vehicle that is not part of the operational fleet and attends a range of community events throughout the year to help the Service engage with members of the public. It is also used by the Fire Cadets as their training appliance. The van is located at our Sadler Road Training Centre and is used as a pool vehicle by staff working in the community. It attends smaller community events when the rainbow fire engine is unavailable.
Do you have any electric vehicles?
Yes.
If so, what are they?
We currently have 13 Nissan Leaf cars and 10 Peugeot e-Rifter vans.
Is it possible to purchase an electric powered fire engine?
Yes.
If so, are they as effective as petrol/diesel ones?
It is not possible to confirm this. London Fire Brigade is the first fire and rescue service in the country to be trialling an electric fire engine.
If so, what is the additional cost of purchasing an electric powered fire engine?
The market price for the model being trialled in London is £860,000. This is £600,000 more than the £280,000 diesel fire engines purchased in Cheshire.
From 2030 will it be possible to purchase a petrol/diesel fire engine?
We are unable to answer this question.
What is the life of a fire engine before it is replaced?
A diesel fire engine typically has a lifespan of 15 years and can be used for a further two years as a spare appliance.
Last updated: Friday, 16 February 2024