'£500,000 budget shortfall' looms for Shropshire fire service as council tax hike rejected
Members of the body that sets the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service budget have rejected their own council tax proposals.
Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority's Tory chairman said three members of his party failed to turn up to Wednesday's meeting and opposition members outvoted them.
Committee chairman Councillor Eric Carter says the fire authority will hold an extraordinary meeting on February 23 to think again.
"The decision does not make any sense," said Councillor Carter. "The impact of this decision is a potential shortfall in the service’s budget in the region of £500,000 per year, for the next three years.
"I am hoping that we will have a full turn out of the Conservative members next week. I have been in the chair for four-and-a-half years and it is the only time that a vote has gone like this in this authority. We have had a public opinion poll where they supported a 1.99 per cent increase in council tax precepts."
The suggested precept would increase the average Shropshire household’s council tax bill by £2 a year.
The authority is now obliged to meet again before Telford and Wrekin Council and Shropshire County Council meet to set the full Council Tax and overall precepts for the coming financial year.
Officers will present further options with a full explanation of the impact of the potential deficit. The public will be updated when the vote has taken place and a decision has been made.
