Liverpool energy: Fears tariff error could lead to fire service cuts

The council's energy deal covers authority properties, maintained schools and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service

A spike in Liverpool City Council's energy bill could result in fire service cuts, a councillor has warned.

The council could end up paying an extra £10m overall, after mistakes left it on a more expensive tariff.

The energy deal covers the Labour-run council's properties, maintained schools and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS).

Lib Dem councillor Andrew Makinson said MFRS's energy bill would be £1m extra due to the council's "incompetence".

A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council (LCC) said: "The new tariff will begin from July, and LCC are working to establish the costs of the city's electricity - and will be able to calculate that exactly once the bills for this quarter are in."

'Do the right thing'

Mr Makinson has written to chief fire officer Phil Garrigan to find out what the impact might be.

The councillor says MFRS had expected to spend £600,000 on electricity but now faces a bill of £1.6m.

Mr Makinson, who is an opposition leader on Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, told the BBC: "The council now needs to do the right thing and give a guarantee that schools and the fire service will not have to pay for their mistakes."

He added: "It is not acceptable that this Labour council imposes cuts on firefighters and in our classrooms because of their incompetence."

There had been claims the council would make up the extra from its reserves, but that decision would need to be approved by cabinet which could take weeks.

An MFRS spokesperson said it had been "in discussion with Liverpool City Council with regards to the situation, and at this time we await the outcome of the independent review, actual costs and suggested remedy before considering our next steps."

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