The fire service’s governing Fire Authority decided to increase its portion of Council Tax by 2.97% next year, at its budget setting meeting on 19 February.

Current indications are that South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue will lose around £700,000 in its Government funding in 2018/19, when compared with 2017/18.

The decision to increase council tax will raise around £714,000 in annual funding for the fire service- the equivalent of around 20 firefighters.