A spotlight has turned on the gender pay gap at Dorset's fire serviceas the authority announced its budget for the next financial year.

Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority approved a budget of £54.526 million for 2018-19 at a meeting, which also saw the authority's share of the council tax increase.

The gender pay gap in the fire service was also broached, with several remedial measures announced.

A paper presented by the authority revealed a mean gender pay gap of seven per cent and a median gap of 11.9 per cent. It was noted that the gap was in part down to the preponderance of men in operational roles and middle and upper management at the service, but a number of measures were nonetheless revealed.

These measures included new recruitment processes and apprenticeships, as well as reviewing and improving workplace facilities for women to help provide a welcoming and supporting environment.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service's chief fire officer, Ben Ansell, said: “We are committed to ensuring we have a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.”

The budget for the next financial year represents a slight increase on the budget for the ongoing financial year, which was set at £53.735 million. The latest budget includes an annual fire precept of £72.20 within council tax, representing a 4p per week increase for Band D properties in Dorset and other areas covered by the fire service.

“Members have approved a fire precept Band D that is still well below the national average," officer Ansell added. "We also this year received another large funding reduction, as the government has granted us 5.8 percent less than last year. Despite that, we are investing even more in our on-call firefighters, who are so essential to maintaining fire cover in our predominantly rural areas. "

The authority also announced plans to save an annual £38,000 through revised administrative arrangements, including from the allowances awarded to authority members.

Cllr Spencer Flower, chairman of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “We have a fantastic fire and rescue service, and the authority's decisions will ensure that the increased activity in prevention and protection, such as Safe & Well checks, community safety education and partnerships, can be strengthened. We deliver so much to our local communities, from a 24/7 emergency response to an ever-increasing range of personal and business safety activities, and we are as committed as ever to ensuring this continues.”