The Staffordshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel met on Monday 9 February 2026 to discuss the proposed Fire and Rescue budget and precept for 2026/27, and to hold a confirmation hearing for the proposed appointment of the new Chief Fire Officer. The Panel supported the proposed budget and precept increase, and recommended the appointment of Glynn Luznyj as Chief Fire Officer.

Proposed Fire and Rescue Budget and Precept 2026/27

The Panel considered the proposed Fire and Rescue budget and precept for 2026/27, which included a council tax funding requirement of £36.046m. This represented a proposed increase of 5.45%, equating to £5 per annum for a Band D property, bringing the total council tax for such a property to £96.77. The total budget requirement for the service was set at £57.348m.

During the discussion, it was noted that the Fairer Funding Review (FFR) had resulted in an allocation for 2026/27 that was £0.4m lower than anticipated, with a net reduction of £2.134m by 2028/29. To mitigate this shortfall, the government had assumed an annual council tax increase for the full period. The core spending power for 2026/27 was reported to be 0.8% below the national average, approximately £0.5m. Additionally, the reset of the business rate system from 2026/27 was expected to result in a shortfall of around £68k. These figures were in addition to a £1m grant loss for 2025/26 and a £0.25m shortfall to cover national insurance increases.

Inflation was assumed at 2.99% for the next two years, which was below the £5 national referendum limit. However, this still necessitated an estimated £2.1m in transformation work by 2029. A significant risk identified was the pay award assumption, as current inflation was higher, alongside additional pension pressures. The Commissioner stated that he had no control over national pay or pension settlements.

The Panel was informed that if unexpected cost increases occurred, such as in pay, pensions, or emergency networking, the Commissioner might have to consider options such as reduced shift patterns or the number of on-call stations. The recent Police Reform White Paper was also noted as having potential implications for the Fire and Rescue service, particularly concerning shared services with Staffordshire Police, which could affect costs. The FFR formula was described as difficult to understand and not fully reviewed based on risk and vulnerability.

The Panel noted that £2.3m in savings had already been made over recent years, and different working methods were being reviewed, with opportunities to share costs with neighbours and partners being explored. This was complicated by limited information regarding potential pairings under the Police Reform White Paper.

The Panel resolved to note the total 2026/27 net revenue budget requirement of £57.348m and the council tax requirement of £36.046m. They also supported the proposed budget and precept increase of 5.45% and notified the Commissioner accordingly. The Council Tax base increase and the collection fund surplus were noted, as were the MTFS summary financials and assumptions, including the savings requirement and the use of reserves. The 3-year capital investment programme and the Capital Strategy were supported. The business rates for 2026/27 and the outcome of the Commissioner's budget consultation were noted. The delegation to the S151 Officer to make necessary budget adjustments was also noted, along with the proposed fees and charges for 2026/27. Finally, the Statement from the S151 Officer on the robustness of the budget and the adequacy of financial reserves was noted.

Confirmation Hearing for Chief Fire Officer Appointment

The Panel held a confirmation hearing for the proposed appointment of Glynn Luznyj as the new Chief Fire Officer for Staffordshire. The Secretary to the Panel explained that the Panel's role was to question the candidate to assess their 'professional competence' and 'personal independence'.

The Police Fire and Crime Commissioner, Ben Adams, briefly outlined the recruitment process and confirmed Glynn Luznyj as his preferred candidate. Mr Luznyj then presented his career history, highlighting his service with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue since 1996 and his additional national and regional responsibilities.

The Panel questioned Mr Luznyj on his strengths, priorities for the next 12 months, perceived challenges, collaborative working, and how he would approach disagreements with senior colleagues. He emphasised his commitment to the service, his understanding of Staffordshire's communities and risk profile, and his experience in shaping future services. Key challenges identified included public sector reform, the development of a new Board for Police and Fire and Rescue, and funding uncertainty amidst increased operational demand. Staff safety and wellbeing, fire prevention, incident response, and the built environment were highlighted as priorities. Mr Luznyj welcomed disagreement and joint problem-solving, stressing that responses would vary depending on the issue and safety levels. He also identified diversity as a crucial area for the Fire and Rescue Service to address, seeing the upcoming retirements as an opportunity to improve diversity within the service.

Following deliberation, the Panel resolved to recommend to the Police Fire and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire that he proceed with the appointment of Glynn Luznyj as the Chief Fire Officer.

Future Meetings

The Panel noted that the reserved meeting date of 16 February 2026 was no longer required and would be cancelled. The dates of future meetings were also noted.