SOUTH Yorkshire Fire and Rescue bosses are forecasting a deficit of more than £3m in their latest financial plan.

The service’s operating budget for 2024/25 was £64.5m.

A total of £32.3m came from local taxpayers, £13m from the revenue support grant, £17.2m from business rates and more than £6.8m from other income.

The report states: “We are forecasting a cumulative deficit of £3.72m in our medium term financial plan.

“This means we will be spending £3.72m more than we are receiving in income across the three years covered by the plan.

“In the short term, these deficits will be funded from reserves.

“Our capital programme comprises one-off investments which could not be funded through annual revenue budgets.

“They include things like new buildings, vehicles and equipment.

“Our medium term financial plan forecasts spending between £8m and £9m per year until 2027, with the majority of this funded through loans.

“The most significant risks to our medium term financial forecasting are uncertainty over government funding, firefighter pension valuations and pay and non-pay inflation.”