The Cumbria Police, Fire & Crime Panel met at Kendal Town Hall on 30 January 2026. The main focus of the meeting was scrutiny of the 2026/27 budgets and council tax precepts for policing and fire services, alongside a review of the latest financial monitoring reports.
Police and Crime – Financial Monitoring
The Panel reviewed the Quarter 2 financial report for the Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner and Cumbria Constabulary.
The Constabulary is currently forecasting a small underspend, largely due to staff vacancies and recruitment timing. Officer recruitment continues to maintain numbers following the national uplift programme.
Some cost pressures remain in areas such as forensics, legal services and operational demand, but these are partly offset by higher investment income resulting from current interest rates.
Overall, the financial position for the year remains stable.
Fire & Rescue – Financial Monitoring
Members also considered the Quarter 2 report for Cumbria Fire & Rescue Authority.
The service is forecasting a modest underspend, with higher investment returns and borrowing savings helping to offset slightly higher pay costs.
The capital programme continues to support investment in vehicles, equipment and estate improvements, and the service remains in a sustainable financial position for the current year.
Draft Budgets and Precepts for 2026/27
The Commissioner presented draft budgets for policing and fire services for 2026/27, together with medium-term financial forecasts.
For policing, the proposals focus on:
- Maintaining frontline policing capacity
- Supporting neighbourhood policing and community safety
- Managing rising operational and pay costs
- Continuing investment in technology and investigations
For Fire & Rescue, the budget supports:
- Maintaining operational response across Cumbria
- Continued prevention work to protect vulnerable residents
- Investment in equipment, vehicles and estates
Consultation has taken place with residents as part of the process for setting the proposed council tax precepts.
The Panel agreed the proposed council tax precepts for policing and fire services for 2026/27. For policing, the proposal is for a 4.61% increase, equivalent to £14.94 per year for a Band D property, taking the annual police precept to £338.94. For Cumbria Fire & Rescue, the proposed increase is £4.95 per year for a Band D property (5.04%), bringing the fire precept to £103.14. Residents will therefore see a combined increase of £19.89 per year for a typical Band D household for these two services.
I took the opportunity to ask the acting Chief Constable about how the Government’s new targets for police response times, in particular how they would be met in very rural areas (like ours) which are often very far from a police station, or at least a police station where police are based. I also asked about the low level of reserves in the fire service and about where the funding is coming from for an ungently needed second fire engine to be based in Barrow.
Complaints and Panel Work Programme
The Panel received its regular update on complaints relating to the Commissioner. No significant issues were reported.
Members also reviewed the Panel’s work programme, which will continue to focus on budget scrutiny, delivery of the Police, Fire & Crime Plan, and community safety priorities across Cumbria.
Full papers for the meeting are available here:
https://westmorlandandfurness.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=330&MId=14036&Ver=4
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