Shropshire fire bosses ask for freedom on budget

Figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that by 2031 there will be a 196 per cent increase in the number of people over the age of 85 living in the county.

And there has been a 22 per cent increase in the last two years in the number of fire-related deaths involving those aged over 65, according to the Local Government Association (LGA).

Generally, the risk of fire-related fatality increases with age, with those aged 80 and over at greatest risk of dying in a fire. An increase in the number of people living in rented accommodation is also linked to an increase in the number of residential fires.

The LGA is also highlighting latest fire statistics which show that although the overall number of fires has fallen steadily, the rate of decline has slowed and certain types of fire have increased. They include deliberate primary fires with casualties or rescues – which have risen by 14 per cent to 22,032 in 2016/17 - up from 19,369 in 2015/16.

The concern in Shropshire is not just the changing demographic but also the sparsity of cover across the county.

Budgets are set with constraints and Fire chiefs have called for less stringent conditions to be attached to their budgets.

Councillor Eric Carter, chair of Shropshire & Wrekin Fire Authority said: “This is a very real issue for Shropshire Fire & Rescue Services. Shropshire’s way of life and natural beauty make it a favourite destination for people from all over Britain who are looking to retire and that is borne out by statistics that predict large increases in the number of over 65s and over 85s moving here in the next 15 years.

“Another factor is what is termed sparsity. Which means that, unlike many rural counties where populations are largely concentrated in one or two more urban areas, Shropshire’s population is spread across the whole county in a large number of vibrant market towns and villages. This means that our resources are often far apart.

“This combination of a growing proportion of elderly and increasingly vulnerable people together with resources that are scattered across the county presents a real challenge to the fire service, particularly around delivering our fire safety and prevention work to the people who are most at risk.

“To help us meet this growing challenge we are asking government to allow fire and rescue services greater flexibility in the way we build and use our budget to meet often unique, local needs.”

Government figures show that funding for fire services, within revenue support grant, has fallen by 38.5 per cent, from £524 million to £322 million, between 2015/16 and 2019/20.

In its Autumn budget submission, the LGA is urging government not to make any further cuts to fire service funding and to ensure funding levels reflect that fire services are driven by risk, not demand, and need the capability to respond to major incidents.