Mayoral General Precept (including Fire Services)
On your bill this will appear at the "Mayoral General Precept". The vast majority of this goes to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. The service is funded partly by grants from central Government and partly by council tax paid by the residents of Greater Manchester. It remains one of the lowest-cost and highest performing emergency services in the UK.
Over the course of the year, for the average Band B property, the fire proportion of the precept is £51.49. To give an idea of how your money is spent, for the period 1st April 2019 to December 2019, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service:
• Responded to 8,472 fires across Greater Manchester
• Attended 1,452 road traffic collisions
• Attended 2,871 other incidents that required specialist fire service support
• Rescued 1,524 people
In addition to funding the fire service, part of this precept also goes to fund the mayor, plus the functions he is responsible for. Over the course of the year, this is £19.25 for the average Band B bill.
This mayoral precept funds:
- Transport Strategy including Local Transport Plan development and monitoring
- Administration of Bus Service Operators Grant
- Developing the new plan for jobs and homes for Greater Manchester (known as the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework)
- Mayoral Development Corporations
- Costs of the Mayor’s office
- Grants to District Councils
In addition, this year the mayoral precept will increase in order to reform and improve the bus system in Greater Manchester, including free bus travel for care leavers up to the age of 21 and continuation of the successful ‘Our Pass’ pilot for all 16-18 year olds which started part way through last year. There will also be a continuation of the Mayor’s successful A Bed Every Night scheme to reduce rough sleepers across Greater Manchester.
Table: New mayoral precept will be for each council tax band
|
Total costs per Band |
Band A |
Band B |
Band C |
Band D |
Band E |
Band F |
Band G |
Band H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mayoral General Precept (including fire) |
60.63 |
70.74 |
80.84 |
90.95 |
111.16 |
131.37 |
151.58 |
181.90 |
|
Increase to support Fire & Bus Reform |
9.33 |
10.89 |
12.44 |
14.00 |
17.11 |
20.22 |
23.33 |
28.00 |
|
Percentage of households in each Band % |
45.6 |
19.6 |
17.4 |
9.2 |
4.8 |
2 |
1.2 |
0.2 |
Table: Comparison of Expenditure - breakdown
| Description |
2019/20 £000 |
2020/21 £000 |
Variation £000 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gross Expenditure* |
134,243 |
239,151 |
104,908 |
|
Income |
-16,665 |
-20,514 |
-3,849 |
|
Cost of Service |
117,578 |
218,637 |
101,059 |
|
Capital Financing Charges |
1,540 |
1,687 |
147 |
|
Revenue Contribution to Capital Outlay |
5,666 |
4,201 |
-1,465 |
|
Net Service Budget |
124,784 |
224,525 |
99,741 |
|
Contribution from Balances |
-9,195 |
-8,657 |
538 |
|
Budget Requirement |
115,589 |
215,868 |
100,279 |
|
Localised Business Rates |
-10,311 |
-10,614 |
-303 |
|
Business Rate Baseline |
-39,600 |
-40,250 |
-650 |
|
Section 31 Grant – Business Rates |
-1,366 |
-2,062 |
-696 |
|
Section 31 Grant – pensions |
-4,803 |
-5,605 |
-802 |
|
Transport - Statutory Charge |
0 |
-86,700 |
-86,700 |
|
Collection Fund surplus |
-1,781 |
-1,265 |
516 |
|
Council Tax Requirement |
57,728 |
69,372 |
11,644 |
*Following the GMCA Amendment Order laid in April 2019, the increase in gross expenditure in 2020/21 reflects further powers of the Mayor for transport functions, for delivery of Bus related activities. As noted in the Mayoral Budget report to GMCA on 14th February 2020, the cost of these functions will be met by a £86.7 million statutory charge to District Councils, with a corresponding reduction in the Transport Levy on District Councils.
Mayoral Expenditure Breakdown 2020/21 (non-fire)
|
Description |
2020/21 £000 |
|---|---|
|
Mayoral Direct Costs Incl Corporate Support |
1,239 |
|
Spatial Development Strategy |
- |
|
Mayoral Priorities Incl - A Bed Every Night |
2,633 |
|
Transport Policy & Strategy |
3,500 |
|
BSOG - grants to operators |
11,500 |
|
- administration |
50 |
|
‘Our Pass’ Incl Opportunity Cost |
16,200 |
|
Sub-Total - Pre additional transport powers |
35,122 |
|
Bus Reform |
5,250 |
|
Bus Concessionary Reimbursement |
51,300 |
|
Supported Bus |
27,900 |
|
Accessible Transport/Ring & Ride |
4,600 |
|
Allocation of Bus Operational costs |
2,900 |
|
Total Including additional transport powers |
127,072 |
A significant source of funding for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority comes from grant income, with over £100 million anticipated within 2019/20 to deliver various programmes such as Adult Education, Work and Health programmes and Homelessness Initiatives. In addition to grant funded activity the Authority receives funding from local district contributions and retained business rates revenues as part of the 100% retained business rate pilot.