Fuel increase hits council budget

Rising fuel prices have meant Nottinghamshire County Council is facing an increased bill of more than £680,000 a year, officials confirmed.

The annual heating oil bill for schools has risen to £954,073 compared with £521,812 last year.

Heating other buildings will cost the authority an extra £87,226 and diesel for the council's 700 vehicles is costing an extra £170,000 a year.

The council said it was managing but the increase was stretching the budget.

More efficient

County council leader David Kirkham said: "It is frustrating. We are managing through our contingencies but it puts extra pressure on our budget.

"We can react the same way as the public and try and be more efficient in the use of our vehicles and keep our heating costs down. Ultimately that's all we can do."

East Midlands Ambulance Service said that each time fuel increased by 1p per litre, it cost the service an extra £36,000 a year, which is the same price as a paramedic's salary.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue has already paid £30,000 more for diesel this year than it did for the whole of last year.

Nottingham city council said its Eastcroft depot was spending £27,000 a week on fuel, which is £8,500 more than at this time last year.