It is a requirement for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority to set a level of revenue budget and council tax before the start of the forthcoming financial year. At its budget setting meeting on 6 February 2025, the Authority approved a total net budget requirement of £76.427m to run Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service for the year 2025-26:
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
| Employee costs | £60.133m | £62.382m |
| Premises | £4.590m | £4.739m |
| Transport | £1.545m | £1.508m |
| Supplies and services | £6.181m | £6.541m |
| Agency and contracted out services | £3.163m | £2.792m |
| Capital financing/leasing | £5.147m | £5.706m |
| Spending on services | £80.759m | £83.668m |
| Income/Reserves | -£6.840m | -£7.241m |
| Amount to be financed | £73.919m | £76.427m |
This is funded as shown below:
| 2024-25 | 2025-26 | |
| Fire precepts | £50.005m | £54.364m |
| Revenue Support Grant | £7.398m | £7.529m |
| Business Rates/Top-up Grant | £14.718m | £14.534m |
| Other grants | £1.798m | £0m |
| Total financing | £73.919m | £76.427m |
Fire precept bands
Residents pay for their Fire & Rescue Service as part of their council tax bill, and the fire precept element of the bill for a Band D property in 2025-26 is as follows:
| Band A | Band B | Band C | Band D | Band E | Band F | Band G | Band H |
| £61.30 | £71.52 | £81.73 | £91.95 | £112.38 | £132.82 | £153.25 | £183.90 |
Spending on major capital projects:
The Authority’s capital programme for 2025-26 totals £10.7m. This includes planned spending of £4.9m on maintaining our fire stations and other buildings, as well as developing new training facilities in Devizes and Weymouth, £3.2m on replacement vehicles and associated equipment, and £2.6m on new or replacement ICT equipment, information systems and a new mobilising system.
- For more information, please email [email protected]