“Serious questions” about Northamptonshire Chief Fire Officer’s re-appointment, union says

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) is raising concerns about a breach of procedure after Northamptonshire’s Chief Fire Officer Darren Dovey was re-appointed following retirement, at the request of the region’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.

The Fire and Rescue Service National Framework says brigades “must not re-appoint principal fire officers after retirement to their previous, or a similar, post” except for in “exceptional circumstances … necessary in the interests of public safety”. Any such appointments must be “transparent, justifiable and time-limited.”

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service has not seen any major disruption to its statutory responsibility during the coronavirus pandemic and the FBU are calling for “full transparency” on the reasons for re-appointing Dovey.

The National Framework raises specific concerns about senior officers receiving retirement benefits while returning to their previous roles on “favourable terms”, which the FBU says “must be addressed”.

The FBU understands that Mr Dovey has also removed himself from the decision-making panel for any future reemployment of fire and rescue service staff in Northamptonshire

Chris Kemp, Northamptonshire FBU brigade chair, said:

“While we acknowledge Chief Fire Officer Darren Dovey’s work through our brigade’s transition to Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner governance, we’re disappointed that he has been re-employed following retirement.

“We’re concerned that any re-appointment of a principal officer stifles the recruitment and promotion opportunities in the service, which can improve workforce motivation. Issues raised in the national framework around pay and retirement benefits also remain and must be addressed.

 “The national framework explicitly forbids this kind of activity under all but exceptional circumstances. While we are in a global pandemic, our service has fulfilled its statutory duties through the outbreak. There are serious questions about this re-appointment and we need full transparency from the Commissioner about his justification.”