Fire authority bosses are asking for more funding from the council tax budget to ensure they can continue serving people across the county.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority is suggesting a three per cent increase to the fire service’s proportion of council tax for 2019/20, equating to an extra £1.98 a year for a home that is in Band D.

This will enable the Fire Authority to maintain the current service but does not allow for any growth, they say.

Kevin Reynolds, chairman of the Fire Authority, said: “We do everything we can to keep the precept we set as low as possible and this is demonstrated by the fact we are one of the lowest cost fire and rescue services in the country.

“We have been assessed in our recent government inspection as ‘good’ for how efficient and effective we are as a service and we have a strong track record of identifying ways in which we can be more cost effective to either plug funding gaps or reinvest back into the service to help us continue to improve.

“But despite this, we are having to ask for an extra £1.98 a year for a Band D property this year to enable us to maintain our current level of service.

“Protecting the frontline is vitally important to us and it becomes more challenging each year with additional financial pressures, but a small increase in council tax will allow us to do this.”

• If you have any comments about the increase the Fire Authority is seeking, email enquiries@cambsfire.gov.uk use the feedback form on the website, comment on Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service’s social media channels or ring 01480 444500 between 8.30am and 5pm.