Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service says the funding gap for 2025/26 is the result of long-term underfunding. Councillor Rhydian Vaughan, chairman of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Authority, highlighted the seriousness of the situation during a Hampshire County Council meeting on Thursday, October 2. “Portsmouth, Southampton, and Basingstoke and Dean MPs have written to government as well, and I’ll get to write to all Conservative MPs to get them to do something. Cllr Vaughan said: “We will survive this coming year but the next one was going to be a bit tricky. He said the service had turned over every stone to find more money to protect the public.