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Council tax payers in Caerphilly could face a 4.63% increase in the amount they pay towards the fire service.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is currently consulting on its budget proposals for 2025/2026.
The fire service covers Caerphilly County Borough, as well as nine other local authority areas across south Wales.
Proposals would see the amount that local councils contribute to the fire service’s budget increase from £95.84m in 2024/2025 to £101.34m in 2025/2026 – an increase of £5.5m.
Last year, the fire service increased the amount of money it takes from council taxpayers in Caerphilly by 5.52%.
How much extra will taxpayers in other local authorities be paying?
Each of the ten councils which are covered by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service will see their contributions rise as follows:
Blaenau Gwent – 4.98% (Rising by £207,610 to £4.37m in 2025/26)
Bridgend – 4.88% (Rising £443,715 to £9.53m)
Cardiff – 7.66% (Rising £1.77m to £24.91m)
CAERPHILLY – 4.63% – (Rising £507,206 to £11.46m)
Merthyr Tydfil – 3.93% – (Rising £144,061 to £3.8m)
Monmouthshire – 5.21% (Rising £304,298 to £6.14m)
Newport – 5.82% (Rising £584,650 to £10.62m)
Rhondda Cynon Taf – 5.39% (Rising £801,555 to £15.66m)
Torfaen – 5.08% (Rising £293,210 to £6.06m)
Vale of Glamorgan – 5.42% (Rising £449,920 to £8.75m)
Across South Wales, taxpayers face an average increase of 5.75%, meaning Caerphilly taxpayers are set for a below-average increase.
Without the increase to national insurance contributions from employers, the fire authority, which is currently being run by commissioners, would be looking for an 4.08% increase rather than 5.75%. This would’ve meant the fire authority would’ve asked for a 2.98% increase from Caerphilly taxpayers.
Increased contributions for 2025/26 are based on updated population data, which includes the estimated mid year population for 2023.
To cover pay inflation, the service is looking for £4.3m extra and the remaining £1.2m comes from premises and comms (£300,000), training, ICT and insurance (£300,000) and for capital financing (£600,000).
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