FIRE chiefs are delighted after securing more than £1 million extra to help provide life-saving services.

At a meeting of the Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority on December 15, members set the brigade a budget of £16.7m for next year.

Most of the extra cash will be used to pay for more staff with fire stations such as Beaconsfield being brought back up to full firefighter strength.

Chief Fire Officer, Jeff Goddard, said he was pleased that Buckinghamshire County councillors had decided to support the cash boost in the face of tight budget constraints.

He explained: "I am delighted that the Fire Authority has agreed to give us the extra money in the coming financial year.

"The additional funds will help ease some of the pressures that we are facing, but will be particularly useful in making sure the brigade provides the best possible service to local people."

More staff are to be taken on at the brigade's headquarters at Cambridge Street, Aylesbury.

But members of the fire authority have been creative with their budget to hammer down costs.

Rather than buying new fire engines, others will be leased and old ones refurbished. This policy will also be extended to other equipment.

Mr Goddard added the brigade would be able to go into the New Year with renewed vigour.

He said: "This budget will help ease some of the pressures we have been working under and enable us to reach performance targets that we might otherwise not have been able to meet."