Fire chief to have final say
Shropshire's chief fire officer will take the final decision in sacking cases, after fire authority members approved a new disciplinary decision process.
CFO Rod Hammerton reassured the panel that he would not be afraid to rule against his middle-management and re-instate staff.
One member of the county’s fire authority expressed concern about the change, pointing out that future holders of Officer Hammerton’s role may be reluctant to prove their own officers wrong.
The 17-councillor panel backed the change along with other reforms, including reducing its own membership by two and cutting its number of sub-committees from three to two.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service Assistant CFO Dave Myers said the brigade’s area managers have the power to hire and dismiss staff.
“Were an individual dismissed by an area manager, appeals against that would go to the authority, as things stand,” he said.
“All this change does is make the appeal go to the CFO instead.
“He has the final say in terms of employment or dismissal.”
Councillor Kevin Pardy, a former firefighter, asked: “So he could be saying his own officer was wrong?”
Officer Hammerton said: “To give you confidence, it is something I have done before.
"If the evidence has been there, I have overturned the officer’s decision.”
Councillor Pardy, who represents Sundorne on Shropshire Council, replied: “You are personalising it by saying that you can do it, but will future CFOs?”
Officer Hammerton said it was “fairly standard practice” at some other fire brigades to give his CFO counterparts the final decision, and reminded the Fire Authority members: “It’s you who appoint the CFO.
“If you haven’t got confidence in the CFO, you shouldn’t appoint them.”
Officer Myers said taking disciplinary matters out of the authority’s hands would help “ensure members are not drawn into operational matters”, and added that dismissed employees’ right to appeal to a “neutral employment tribunal” would remain.
Shropshire and Wrekin Fire and Rescue Authority voted to approve the changes recommended by Officer Hammerton’s and Officer Myers’ report, but Councillor Pardy abstained.
Chairman Eric Carter said: “I think it is a very important paper and I would stress that we have taken a lot of time discussing this and we have had recommendations that we think are right.”
He said 15 was a reasonable number for the reduced fire authority membership.
“Less than that makes it difficult having quorate meetings,” Councillor Carter added.
The number of members on the two new committees and their exact powers will be decided at a later date.
