Fire service hit by £10m cash demand
SERVICE ORDERED TO REPAY MILLIONS TO GOVERNMENT FOR PENSION CLAIMS
TYNE and Wear’s already beleaguered fire service has suffered a massive financial blow after the Government ordered them to pay back millions of pounds mistakenly claimed to pay their workers’ pensions.
The region’s Fire and Rescue Service, which has been forced to make savings of £22m since 2010 and has lost hundreds of workers, over-claimed the Pensions Top Up Grant by more than £10m.
The Home Office is now insisting the amount is paid back in full, leading to fears the under pressure service could become even more stretched.
Nick Forbes, vice chair of TWFS, warned the move could see less fire safety checks carried out. He said: “This demand for money from Government adds insult to injury. Not only have we lost hundreds of firefighters since 2010 because of the cuts, but their pay has been capped for the foreseeable future as well.
“Now, the Government has decided it will make this situation even worse by demanding millions of pounds more is taken from our fire service no matter how dangerous the consequences.
Which fire stations would the Government have us close down to settle an accounting error their own auditors did not pick up on? Do ministers realise that this demand for money will risk seeing even fewer fire safety checks carried out?
“We have seen recently the real value of our fire fighters, it is time the Government reflected this with a properly funded service and proper pay for firefighters.”
Demands to halt cuts to struggling emergency services have been heightened in recent weeks following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
TWFS, which covers Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Gateshead and Sunderland, has been subjected to severe cuts since 2010, and has been forced to make savings of £22m.
This resulted in the loss of 343 members of staff and the removal of six frontline appliances.
The pensions grant was mistak- enly over-claimed for to the tune of £10.5m between 2006/07 and 2011/12.
A spokesperson for the service admitted the payment could become a ‘significant issue.’
They said: “We are urgently awaiting a meeting with Home Office ministers to discuss their recent request to repay an overpayment Pensions Top Up Grant, claimed unknowingly in error by us, which dates back to the period 2006/07 to 2011/12.
“Once these discussions have taken place and the final position has been clarified and agreed by both parties we will be in a better position to assess any implications on the service and how we might need to address what would be a significant issue.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “It is incorrect to say the Home Office has refused to allow Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service to repay the over-claimed grant over a longer period of time.
“We have made clear to them that, while they are required to repay the money in full, we will consider staged repayment terms.”