Hertfordshire County Council, the local authority who dismissed Ashley Brown for comments about the pension dispute on social media, have rejected calls by over 100 demonstrators to reconsider the dismissal and reinstate the Cheshunt firefighter.
Ashley’s wife Nicola and son Elliot were joined by firefighters and supporters outside Hertford’s County Hall ahead of a council meeting to show their support. Two questions asked at the council meeting by fellow firefighter Daren Scotchford received a negative response by the leader of the council.
Keith Handscomb, of the FBU in East Anglia, said: “We are bitterly disappointed that the council continues to turn a deaf ear to all the calls for common sense to prevail being made by campaigners across the county, including the Broxbourne MP Charles Walker.
“We will not stop fighting for Ashley Brown’s reinstatement.
“This was a missed opportunity by the council. They need to stop hiding behind bureaucratic procedures and instead councillors should step up and use their democratic power to intervene.
“The legal campaign goes on, the political campaign will continue to grow and if as a last resort it becomes necessary, we will mount an industrial campaign. It’s quite simply time for the councillors to do the right thing and we won’t stop until they do.”
Ashley joined the fire service as an 18-year-old and has since attended the rail crash at Potters Bar, was in one of the first crews to attend the Hatfield crash, and worked 12-hour shifts tackling the huge Buncefield Oil Depot blaze.
Ashley followed in the footsteps of his father John, who spent 30 years with the London Fire Brigade.
Ashley and his wife Nicola grew up on the same estate and met aged 17.
They still live in Cheshunt with sons Jacob 18, Elliot 16 and daughter Harriet, 13.
Nicola said: “Ashley is devastated that he has been fired and just because he feels passionate about the fire service.
“He has had more than his fair share of difficult times with his family.
“This has affected us terribly.”
“We have met people we never knew before who have got in touch and we feel like they have become friends. It’s overwhelming.
“It’s amazing people up and down the country have taken the time to help us.”
Watch manager Dan Poullais, who worked with Ashley for 12 years, said: “It has left a big hole in our watch and our station. We think he should be with us, doing what he does best.”
