The Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service is proposing a small increase to its share of council tax across Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough, to help keep pace with the area’s growing population. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority will vote on the proposal at its meeting on 12 February 2026; fire leaders say the additional income would help the service continue to provide 24/7 cover and fund additional wholetime firefighters and roaming appliances as housing and population increase.
Households in a Band D property would see their annual bill rise by £4.95 from April 2026. The service says the extra funding would be used to support operational response and invest in equipment, including modern fire appliances and updated breathing apparatus.
Fire officials point to rising demand for their crews: the service has reported a significant year‑on‑year rise in incidents (including a rolling 12‑month increase in fires of about 13% in recent figures) and recorded around 8,600 incidents in 2025. Peterborough City Council’s population figures — an Office for National Statistics mid‑2023 estimate of roughly 219,510 for the local authority area — underline the rapid growth that is putting additional pressure on local emergency services.
Local reporting has noted that fire precepts have increased in recent years. HMICFRS’s 2023–2025 inspection of Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service recommended improved long‑term funding to manage the risks associated with growth, and national coverage (including BBC reporting) has highlighted ongoing budget pressures affecting local fire crews.
The Fire Authority will make its final decision at the meeting on 12 February 2026.
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