It is a requirement for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority to set a level of revenue budget and council tax before the start of the forthcoming financial year.
At its budget setting meeting on 10 February 2026, the Authority approved a total net budget requirement of £79.503m to run Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service for the year 2026-27:
| 2025-26 | 2026-27 | |
| Employee costs | £62.908m | £64.825m |
| Premises | £4.765m | £4.880m |
| Transport | £1.493m | £1.572m |
| Supplies and services | £5.742m | £5.879m |
| Agency and contracted out services | £2.530m | £2.391m |
| Democratic representation | £0.120m | £0.122m |
| Capital financing/leasing | £6.059m | £6.113m |
| Spending on services | £83.617m | £85.782m |
| Income/Reserves | -£7.190m | -£6.279m |
| Amount to be financed | £76.427m | £79.503m |
This is funded as shown below:
| 2025-26 | 2026-27 | |
| Fire precepts | £54.364m | £57.605m |
| Revenue Support Grant | £7.529m | £12.758m |
| Business rates/top-up grant | £14.534m | £9.140m |
| Other grants | £0m | £0m |
| Total financing | £76.427m | £79.503m |
Fire precept bands
Residents pay for their Fire & Rescue Service as part of their council tax bill, and the fire precept element of the bill for a Band D property in 2026-27 is as follows:
| Band A | Band B | Band C | Band D | Band E | Band F | Band G | Band H |
| £64.63 | £75.41 | £86.18 | £96.95 | £118.49 | £140.04 | £161.58 | £193.90 |
Spending on major capital projects:
The Authority’s capital programme for 2026-27 totals £17.767m. Over half of this amount is for the investment in our training facilities in Devizes and Weymouth, with £9.5m forecast to be spent in the financial year. Elsewhere, spend of £1.7m is planned on maintaining our fire stations and other buildings, £4.2m on replacement vehicles and associated equipment, and £2.4m on new or replacement ICT equipment, information systems and a new mobilising system.
- For more information, please email [email protected]