East Sussex Fire Authority has made the difficult decision to raise its Council Tax to ensure that it can continue to provide vital emergency services to the communities of East Sussex and Brighton & Hove.
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service is facing increases in costs, reductions in funding, and further uncertainty as the Government plans changes to funding for 2026/27.
By law East Sussex Fire Authority must produce a balanced budget.
At its meeting on Thursday 6 February 2025, The Fire Authority agreed to an increase in Council Tax of £5 at Band D, the maximum allowed without a referendum, in order to help navigate these pressures and maintain our essential services to the community. That is an increase of just 10 pence per week.
Fire Authority Chair Amanda Evans said:
“No-one on the Fire Authority takes the decision to raise Council Tax lightly. The fact remains we have limited options to balance our budget and protect local services in the face of increasing costs and reductions in our grants from government, and Council Tax is our primary source of funding. Despite these challenges the Fire Authority remains totally committed to keeping our communities safe.”
Support will continue to be available through local Council Tax Support Schemes for those residents who are eligible.
Council Tax
The decision to increase Council Tax results in the following Council Tax bands:
- Band A 74.99
- Band B 87.49
- Band C 99.99
- Band D 112.49
- Band E 137.49
- Band F 162.49
- Band G 187.48
- Band H 224.98
Looking ahead
The 2025/26 budget will be balanced by new savings of £0.6m, other one-off savings and flexibilities of £1.9m and by drawing £0.5m from our reserves.
There is uncertainty after 2025/26 as the Government reviews its spending plans and is expected to make changes to our grant funding and business rates income. Based on current modelling, the amount required to balance the 2026/27 budget is £2.6m but this may change. For example, the Government is not fully funding the rise in National Insurance costs and the pay award for staff may be more than the 2% we have budgeted for. The Fire Authority will continue to monitor and review any impacts.
The Fire Authority does not have to take final decisions on its budget for 2026/27 until February 2026 but has asked officers to identify options for achieving permanent savings to balance the budget at the earliest opportunity.
As part of our Future Foundations programme, we are reviewing our support services and are also working on a new Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP) and expect to consult the public on its proposals in Spring / Summer 2026.
About the Fire Authority
The primary duties of the Fire Authority are:-
- To provide a Fire Service and to ensure its efficiency
- To provide the efficient training of members of the Service
- To ensure that efficient mobilising and communications arrangements exist
- To make arrangements to obtain information needed for firefighting purposes
- To make arrangements to ensure that the steps are taken to mitigate damage to property through firefighting
- To make arrangements to provide fire safety advice
- To make arrangements to give mutual assistance to other Fire Services
- To ensure that adequate water supplies are available for firefighting purposes