GCC is the fire and rescue authority for Gloucestershire and is responsible for governance and oversight of GFRS. Fire and rescue funding is not ring-fenced. GCC sets the level of funding for GFRS each year through the council's annual budget-setting process.

Each year, GCC sets a revenue budget for GFRS to support day-to-day service delivery, including staffing, equipment, training and ICT. In addition to core funding, the service receives a small number of government grants for specific purposes, such as community fire stations and the SkillZONE contract, firefighter pension costs and fire safety activity.

Given ongoing financial pressures across the public sector, the service is also expected to identify and deliver efficiencies over the life of this plan, helping to manage costs while continuing to deliver services in line with risk. The Service aims to achieve value for money and maintain appropriate stewardship of the public funds and assets entrusted to it.

The service has governance arrangements in place to monitor budget performance and provide financial assurance. These include:

• Monthly management accounts are produced and considered by the financial management group and Fire Leadership Team.
• Quarterly management accounts are produced and reported to corporate finance, and to performance, risk and scrutiny meetings.
• GCC prepares an annual Statement of Accounts in line with the relevant accounting code of practice. The accounts are subject to external audit and are reviewed by senior leaders, before scrutiny and approval by GCC in line with the council's governance arrangements. These are published on GCC website annually.

GFRS Community Risk Management Plan 2026-2030