A 7.1 per cent rise in the amount Islanders pay annually towards the fire service has been approved.
It will mean bills for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service (HIWFRS) will be on average £5 more expensive per household.
£75.43 per annum
A Band D ratepayer will now pay £75.43 — jumping from £70.43 — after it was approved by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire Authority meeting yesterday (Tuesday).
As part of the approved budget, £1.7 million will be spent on further investment and upgrades to the fire stations on the Island.
Stephens: This is a vast investment in the Island
Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Ian Stephens, the deputy leader of the Isle of Wight Council, said the Island sometimes felt a little bit forgotten but as part of HIWFRS, we definitely are not.
He said,
“Thank you it is long overdue for the fire stations on the Island and I was pleased to see there is a structured way forward.
“I want the people of the Island to realise we are not just getting building upgrades, we are also getting a more resilient service, one it deserves.
“This is a vast investment in the Island.”
Joint facilities on the Island
As part of the investment, HIWFRS has been having ‘positive discussions’ with Hampshire Constabulary over joint facilities on the Island, particularly in Newport.
Officers said they were looking to seek future longer term opportunities that may bring more joint working across the Island’s public service providers.
Merged in 2021
Last year — the year Hampshire and Isle of Wight fire services officially merged — a £1.1 million investment in the Island was completed after the physical conditions of fire services buildings was found to be ‘considerably below the standard’ of those on the mainland.
This year, in phase two of the project, roofs would be replaced at Newport, Cowes, Bembridge, Ventnor, and Freshwater, kitchens upgraded at six hubs and new sleeping quarters installed in Bembridge.
A further year of investment is also tabled, worth £1.4 million.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
