Bucks and MK Fire budget under-spend to be ploughed into apprenticeships.. could you join the fire service?

Bucks and MK Fire and Rescue  Service has under spent this year and this could spell good news for anyone wanting to do a fire fighting apprenticeship.
Bucks and MK fire serviceBucks and MK fire service
Bucks and MK fire service

Bucks and MK Fire and Rescue Service has under spent this year and this could spell good news for anyone wanting to do a fire fighting apprenticeship.

An agenda ahead of the latest meeting of the Bucks and MK Fire Authority states that hundreds of thousands of pounds in savings will allow the service to invest in new schemes, and give it greater financial resilience in future years.

The report to members, ahead of the meeting on February 8 at Fire Service HQ in Stocklake, Aylesbury, reads: “Managers have positively and pro actively controlled spending and forecast an under spend of £510,000 against a revenue budget of £23.3million.”

Officers writing the report are recommending that members approve a plan to put £200,000 of this money into reserves, which will help add to resilience in future years. At the Fire Authority’s last meeting in September, news of the under spend first came out, although it was thought to be less than the final total.

Officers reported that the savings were mostly due to staffing levels being lower than budgeted for, an upturn in whole time retirements and on-call fire fighter numbers being significantly below budgeted levels.

Members were told that as well as putting some of the money into reserves, some will be redirected into schemes looking to the future of the force.

These include taking on more apprentice firefighters and staff members and investing into looking at new, more flexible ways of working within the service.

The service’s website says that it is not currently recruiting any wholetime firefighters.

But there is an option to apply to become an on-call firefighter.

On-call firefighters are paid a monthly retainment fee, and usually have another job alongside the role.

They are also paid for the hours that they are working, and disturbances allowances.

To find out more visit the website at www.bucksfire.gov.uk What do you think? Email your views to [email protected] can also call the news team on 01296 32718

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