Frontline fire services in the North East could soon be hit with significant cuts, it is feared.
Bosses are predicting that the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) will overspend its budget by more than £650,000 this year, though no details of any job losses or other planned cutbacks have yet been confirmed. It comes amid warnings that rising fuel and energy bills, as well as higher-than-expected pay rises for staff, could have a devastating impact on crucial, lifesaving services across the region.
Councillors in Newcastle have issued a plea for ministers to step in and save fire authorities that are on the brink of a financial calamity. A motion backed unanimously by the city council last week calls on the government to fully fund all inflationary pressures on services this year, saying it would be “unfair and unrealistic” for local fire chiefs to cope with the crisis without extra help.
