A NORTH-EAST fire brigade has launched a public consultation as it plans for the future in anticipation of further cuts to Government grant funding.

The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service (CDDFRS) consultation will run until February 8, 2016, when the Combined Fire Authority, made up of local councillors from County Durham and the borough of Darlington, will meet to set spending levels for the financial year ahead.

CDDFRS deputy chief fire officer Colin Bage said said: “This is your fire and rescue service, funded by you and in existence to protect the community. Your help is invaluable to us as we prepare to make these difficult decisions.”

He added: “It is important to stress that of the five proposals we are consulting on, none of them include closure of fire stations in County Durham and Darlington or a reduction in the number of fire appliances that we run.

“The five proposals include working with partner organisations and using our current resources in different ways to make the required savings and meet the reductions in the government funding that we expect.”

Funding for the fire and rescue service comes from two main sources - a Government grant, providing approximately 42 per cent of the total, and precept payments from local taxpayers and non-domestic rate-payers in County Durham and Darlington, which make up the remaining 58 per cent.

In 2016/17 it is expected that grant funding from Government will be cut once again forcing the fire authority to consider further proposals to reduce costs.

The consultation document can be viewed at http://bit.ly/consultation16-17 where there is a link to the consultation questions at www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/irmp16-17/

For a hard copy t call 0845-3058383 or email ServiceHQ@ddfire.gov.uk