Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

A meeting of the joint fire authority was held yesterday.

An increase of £1.24 per year was agreed today (1.99%) for Band D properties.

This will take the precept to £63.62. The national average is over £69.

To balance the budget, £297,900 of general reserves will be used.

Wiltshire & Swindon Fire and Rescue is one of the most efficient in England and could have done with a bigger increase. However, if it had done so, government legislation means that a referendum would have been required (to be funded by the fire service) at a cost of over £1,000,000.