Council suspends chief and deputy chief fire officers

Northumberland County Council has suspended Chief Fire Officer Graeme Binning and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Jim McNeil following a review into the organisational culture of Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service, according to ITV News.

Senior council figures were informed of the decision at a meeting on Tuesday.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service previously reported that an independent review had been commissioned to assess workplace culture after concerns were raised.

ITV News had attempted to contact both officers for comment but had not received a response.

Independent review findings under consideration

Northumberland County Council confirmed in early February that an external company had been appointed to conduct the review, allowing staff to provide feedback.

The findings of the review have now been received by the council.

A Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “A neutral assessment at the Service has been undertaken.

“We are now considering its findings and taking the necessary next steps in this process.”

They added: “The safety of our residents is paramount and our operational command cover and procedures are secure.

“We cannot comment on individual staffing matters.”

Fire Brigades Union raises safety concerns

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) expressed concerns about the leadership suspensions and their potential impact on safety.

FBU Regional Secretary Brian Harris told ITV News: “In terms of anything major happening, any major incidents, they do form part of Gold Command, so anything major would be a real safety concern in terms of us, our members and the public.”

He added: “We’re really concerned about the command structure.

They are operational, they form part of the command structure all the way from the top down to a firefighter, and we have concerns about that level of command and control.”

Interim leadership appointed

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service has announced the appointment of an interim leadership team.

Lynsey McVay, currently Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, has been named Interim Chief Fire Officer.

Stephen Kennedy, the current Assistant Chief Fire Officer for Northumberland Fire and Rescue, has been appointed Interim Deputy Chief Fire Officer.

A service spokesperson said: “Interim appointments have been put in place whilst we continue to work through the appropriate next steps following the neutral assessment findings.”

They added: “They will further support our operational command cover and procedures and we reassure residents that public safety remains our top priority.”

Northumberland fire chiefs suspended following cultural review: Summary

Northumberland County Council has suspended Chief Fire Officer Graeme Binning and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Jim McNeil following an independent review into the culture of Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service.

The review was commissioned in response to staff concerns and has now been received by the council.

The Fire Brigades Union has warned that the suspensions could impact the service’s ability to respond to major incidents.

Interim leadership appointments have been made, with Lynsey McVay stepping in as Interim Chief Fire Officer and Stephen Kennedy as Interim Deputy Chief Fire Officer.

The fire service has stated that public safety remains its top priority while the council considers the next steps.