Fire chiefs are this week expected to approve plans to charge firms up to £350 for persistent false calls triggered by automatic alarms, despite objections from Bradford business leaders.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority started a consultation of 1,357 organisations across the region in April, after new legislation was introduced allowing fire authorities to charge for attending automatic false alarms at business premises.

In June, Bradford Chamber of Commerce told the Telegraph & Argus it was likely to oppose plans to charge businesses if they could prove they had taken reasonable measures to maintain an efficient system.

But on Friday members of West Yorkshire Fire Authority’s community safety committee will hear the results of the survey and plans to introduce a cost-recovery programme against companies that generate more than three false alarms in a 12-month period.

A pilot scheme, which will run for 18 months from next April, will see firms charged £350 for their fourth false alarm, and the same amount for each subsequent call until the number of attendances falls to three or fewer in a 12-month period.

A report to the meeting said West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is called out to 3,600 automatic alarms every year.

“It is a known fact that frequent false alarms in a building can cause people to become complacent and less willing to react when the fire alarm actuates,” he said.

“Any initiative which seeks to encourage better management of fire alarm systems should be seen as a positive and proactive approach.”

Mike Cartwright, of Bradford’s Chamber of Commerce, said: “We appreciate that sending false alarms is a waste of time, but we are opposed to this charge as you might expect.

“If businesses are doing their utmost to protect their premises and assets, they should not then be penalised for what is likely to be false equipment.

“It is an xample of businesses in particular being targeted. We understand that the fire service is keen to cut costs, but it shouldn’t be done by hitting businesses in this way unless there is overwhelming evidence of neglect.”

Updates on the pilot scheme would be heard by the community safety committee next November and in April 2015.