Auditors have given the thumbs up to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s 2011/12 accounts, praising the way managers are now planning ahead for further financial pressures.
The Annual Governance Report concludes that the organisation is efficient and effective and is well placed to maintain stability into the foreseeable future.
“The [organisation] is in the process of making major changes to many aspects of the way it operates, including to the people and facilities that are needed to maintain good quality services across West Yorkshire.
“These changes mean that the authority is well on its way to achieving the significant savings it has needed to make over the last two years, and to those it will need to make between 2013-16 to cope with significant funding reductions.”
Significantly, the auditors say it is ‘reassuring’ that the authority is already considering any longer-term savings which may be necessary in the context of a possible further round of central government grant reductions.
Councillor Brian Selby, who chairs the fire authority’s Audit Committee, said it was encouraging to have independent external validation of the organisation’s twin obligations to give the people of West Yorkshire good value for money and the highest possible standard of service.
“Our success has been built on good, old-fashioned commitments to public service and prudent financial management,” he added. “The draft fire cover proposals we released for public consultation earlier this month recognise that we may have to tighten our belts well into the 2020s but we will attempt to do so whilst being open and honest about the possible implications and try to work with our communities to find solutions which are both safe and sustainable.
“We will continue to press ministers for a fairer funding settlement but if they fail to listen then we may be forced into further decisions which all will sadly find unpalatable.”
