The Leader of Surrey County Council, Councillor Tim Oliver OBE, agreed the apportionment of settlement funding for the future Combined Fire and Rescue Authority (CFRA) and set the 2026/2027 Band D Council Tax Alternative Notional Amount. He also noted concerns raised by the Chief Fire Officer regarding the proposed funding.

Apportionment of Settlement Funding and Council Tax for the Future Combined Fire and Rescue Authority

The meeting agreed the proposed disaggregation of Surrey County Council's settlement funding and the 2026/2027 Band D Council Tax Alternative Notional Amounts (ANAs) for the future Combined Fire and Rescue Authority (CFRA). This decision was made as part of the Local Government Reorganisation process, requiring the split of Surrey County Council's government funding across the new authorities: East Surrey, West Surrey, and the CFRA. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) had requested a locally agreed submission by 18 September 2026.

Councillor Oliver agreed to the proposed disaggregation of funding and the ANAs, which included a CFRA Band D amount of £93.59. He also noted the alternative proposal and concerns raised by the Chief Fire Officer on behalf of Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, as detailed in Annex D of the public reports pack¹. The decision delegated authority to the Head of Paid Service to confirm Surrey County Council's agreement to the CFRA funding allocation and ANA, and to sign the joint submission with the East and West Surrey Shadow Authorities to MHCLG by the deadline. Furthermore, the council will support the CFRA in lobbying the government for real-terms funding protection, similar to other stand-alone fire and rescue authorities.

The report explained that the disaggregation of funding was necessary due to the Local Government Reorganisation and the government's requirement for a locally determined split of Surrey County Council's settlement funding. This process involved detailed financial modelling, external advice, and analysis of local service expenditure. The aim was to provide a reasonable and sustainable starting position for the successor authorities.

The Chief Fire Officer, in his alternative proposal, had expressed concerns that the recommended funding allocation did not provide a sustainable financial base for the CFRA from its inception. He argued that further work was needed to establish the full cost of a standalone CFRA, including corporate services, governance, and leadership. His proposal would have increased the CFRA Band D amount to £98.59, which would have reduced the funding available to East and West Surrey Councils. The report acknowledged that while this alternative option would improve the CFRA's financial resilience, it would reduce funding for the unitary authorities. The officer's recommendation, which was ultimately agreed, was based on a relative needs formula and a fair share of the reduced funding across Surrey, following the government's Fair Funding Reform.

Councillor Oliver acknowledged the complexity of the disaggregation process, which had been compounded by a significant reduction in Surrey's overall government funding. He recognised the concerns of the Chief Fire Officer but stated that, in the wider context, the proposed settlement was likely the fairest achievable. He committed to writing to MHCLG to reflect the arguments made and explore possibilities for additional government funding.