Following a mistake resulting in a large increase in the city’s energy bill, Liverpool City Council has warned that the error could result in fire safety cuts.

Lib Dem councillor Andrew Makinson said Merseyside Fire and Rescue Servic’s (MFRS) energy bill would be £1 million extra due to the council’s incompetence, noting that that the energy deal coverts the Labour-run council’s properties, maintained schools and MFRS.

A spokesperson for Liverpool City Council (LCC) said: “The new tariff will begin from July, and LCC are working to establish the costs of the city’s electricity – and will be able to calculate that exactly once the bills for this quarter are in.”

Mr Makinson, who is an opposition leader on Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority, told the BBC: “The council now needs to do the right thing and give a guarantee that schools and the fire service will not have to pay for their mistakes.”

He added: “It is not acceptable that this Labour council imposes cuts on firefighters and in our classrooms because of their incompetence.”

An MFRS spokesperson said it had been “in discussion with Liverpool City Council with regards to the situation, and at this time we await the outcome of the independent review, actual costs and suggested remedy before considering our next steps.”