Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service plans council tax rise to meet growing demand

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is planning a small increase in its share of council tax next year, as it looks to improve operational response and address growing budget pressures.

Under the proposals, households living in a Band D property would see an increase of £4.95 a year. This would take the Fire and Rescue Service’s portion of the bill to £92.16 annually, which equates to £7.68 a month or £1.77 a week.

The Service says the increase reflects rising demand linked to significant population growth across Cambridgeshire, including major housing developments in towns and villages. It also follows the end of the Combined Fire Control collaboration with Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, which has created an additional funding gap.

Chief Fire Officer Matthew Warren said the decision to ask residents to pay more had not been taken lightly, but was necessary to manage increased risk and demand.

He explained that the number of incidents attended by fire crews has continued to rise in line with the county’s growth. During 2025, crews responded to around 8,600 incidents, including 2,133 fires — an increase of around 20 per cent compared with the previous year. Firefighters also attended approximately 430 road traffic collisions, 160 animal rescues, more than 90 flooding incidents and 78 co-responding incidents alongside ambulance services.

Mr Warren said the Service continues to face challenges with the availability of on-call fire engines during daytime hours. As a result, plans are being considered to gradually increase the number of wholetime firefighters over the next two to three years, allowing additional roaming fire engines to be deployed in areas where on-call crews are unavailable.

He added that Cambridgeshire remains one of the lowest-cost fire and rescue services in the country, with the lowest number of firefighters per head of population. However, in one of the fastest-growing counties in England, this is beginning to place pressure on resources.

Chair of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority, Councillor Chris Morris, said the Authority recognised the complexity of running a modern fire and rescue service and the range of challenges it now faces.

He said these include changes in society, technological advances that introduce new risks, and the need to operate sustainably. He added that the proposed council tax increase would help ensure the Service can continue to respond quickly and effectively to emergency calls as the county continues to grow.

The Fire Authority is expected to make a final decision on the budget at its meeting on 12 February.