The cost to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service as a result of the energy blunder at Liverpool Council could be at least 50% more than first anticipated.
The local authority has acted as electricity provider to the fire service for 36 years and will continue to for at least another 12 months despite the fiasco coming out of the Cunard Building earlier this year. When members of the authority that oversees the fire service voted to extend the partnership in an emergency meeting in May, it had been expected it would add an additional £1m to their bill for the current financial year.
A report to authority members revealed that it could have gone up to as much as £2m but Ian Cummins, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service director of finance and resources, told a meeting of the authority’s policy and resources committee it was more likely to cost the service at least £1.5m - 50% more than the original £1m expected. Mr Cummins told the meeting the price would be based around usage owing to the variant nature of the contract Liverpool Council entered into.
