Buckinghamshire firefighters have criticised the decision to hire their former chief fire officer in the same role in Northamptonshire, calling out the damaging and divisive culture he created during his tenure at Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Mark Jones was Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service chief fire officer from 2010 to 2015. He was appointed as Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service chief fire officer on 6th July.
The statement has come after Mr Jones went out “meeting and greeting” Northampton firefighters, who then contacted Buckinghamshire firefighters to compare the impression given in these conversations to the reality of working under Mr Jones.
The criticisms from Buckinghamshire include that he threatened firefighters with dismissal for participating in lawful industrial action, using intimidation and vexatious discipline processes as a tool to intimidate trade union representatives. He also withheld pay when firefighters were not on strike for refusing to perform “goodwill work” that isn’t part of their contracts.
Other criticisms include that he oversaw damaging cuts by refusing to raise extra funding for the service, leading to a 43% reduction in firefighter numbers between 2010 and 2021.
Steve Wright, Fire Brigades Union executive council member for Southern region, said:
“Mark Jones has an astonishingly poor record as chief fire officer. His actions in Buckinghamshire left the service desperate for cash, and he treated Buckinghamshire firefighters fighting for their rights like dirt. He shouldn’t be trusted with running a fire and rescue service. Northamptonshire’s MPs and local government representatives need to do everything they can to step in and protect their fire service.”
Adam Taylor, Fire Brigades Union regional secretary for East Midlands region, said:
“We are astounded by the decision taken by Northamptonshire’s Police Fire and Crime Commissioner to employ a new chief fire officer with a track record as Mark Jones has, leaving our members far and wide angered with this decision. Furthermore we are incredibly frustrated with this appointment in that appointing an already retired chief fire officer stifles the development and career progression of our members in Northamptonshire fire and rescue service, and more broadly in the wider UK fire and rescue service. I am certain there will be an agenda, and our members will be united and alive to it.
“The scrutiny panel that confirmed the appointment did not see a unanimous decision taken on the hiring of Mark Jones, a clear indication that some councillors have already got the reckoning of Mark Jones.”
Additionally the union is critical that Mr Jones is being rehired after retiring from a previous CFO position and receiving pension benefits. This practice is essentially prohibited in the National Fire Framework for England (section 6.7) within the same fire and rescue service, but a loophole exists in relation to a senior officer moving to a different service.
Buckinghamshire Fire Brigades Union believes Jones should not hold this position due to criticisms that he:
- By opting not to raise additional funding which was available to be secured, in 2015 he created seven years of financial difficulties for the fire service which continue to this day that has caused ongoing issues in Buckinghamshire including the cut in firefighter numbers of 43% from 2010 to 2021.
- Withheld pay when firefighters were not on strike but merely not performing “goodwill work” that isn’t part of contracts.
- Created a toxic and divisive culture in Buckinghamshire, with a complete loss of trust and confidence in senior management with a hangover still evident today – for example, when London Fire Brigade opened up a recruitment drive for middle-ranking managers many Buckinghamshire firefighters applied.
- Used lock-out tactics during an industrial dispute.
- Did nothing to support greater equality and diversity in the service.
- Introduced bonuses for senior managers during a period when ordinary firefighters and officers were suffering a pay freeze and restraint, including distributing £113,000 between a small group of senior officers during his final year as chief fire officer.
