Council tax increase creates firefighter vacancies

SYFR’s governing authority held its budget-setting meeting on Monday where members decided to increase the fire share of council tax by around 3p per week.

The increase will raise an additional £424,000 per year.

The fire service said it will put the money towards the first recruitment of full-time firefighters since 2009.

The authority decided to raise its share of Band D Council Tax in South Yorkshire by £1.28 per year, to £66.32.

It rejected the alternative of a government grant to freeze council tax, which would have brought in around £163,000 less.