Fire chiefs suspended on full pay amid bullying and misogyny probe

Two elder occurrence bosses person been suspended connected afloat wage pursuing an probe into claims by unit of bullying and misogyny.

Northumberland's Chief Fire Officer Graeme Binning and lawman Jim McNeil were asked to measurement distant from their duties past period aft astatine slightest 5 elder employees took sick permission astatine the aforesaid time.

External investigators are understood to person spent 5 weeks probing the claims, which besides included allegations of failing to code the concerns of whistleblowers implicit a imaginable deficiency of enactment impacting connected nationalist safety.

The Mail connected Sunday understands that aft the findings of the study were discussed by Northumberland County Council members, it was decided to proceed Mr Binning's suspension from his £140,000-a-year post, pending the result of a afloat outer investigation. 

Meanwhile, Mr McNeil has been fixed the accidental to permission his £130,000 relation and instrumentality a status package.

The suspensions travel a twelvemonth aft Northumberland received a affirmative study from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services. 

It was rated arsenic 'good' for the mode it promoted values and culture, and 'adequate' successful promoting fairness and diversity.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service has appointed Lynsey McVay, who is presently the Assistant Chief Fire Officer astatine Tyne and Wear, arsenic its interim boss. Stephen Kennedy, Northumberland's existent Assistant Chief Fire Officer, volition enactment arsenic her deputy.

Brian Harris, North East determination caput of the Fire Brigades' Union, said helium had antecedently raised concerns that the deficiency of enactment could person information implications for firefighters and the public.

He added: 'This is simply a precise analyzable concern and not 1 I tin remark connected afloat until I person seen the reappraisal report. We volition beryllium pressing for a transcript of that report.'

Mr Binning, antecedently a nonrecreational violinist, is nary alien to controversy. 

In 2019, portion helium was Renfrewshire's astir elder firefighter, helium was investigated aft being linked to a Twitter relationship sending foul-mouthed tweets abusing broadcasters and politicians.

The Scottish Fire Service initially said the relationship 'categorically' did not beryllium to Mr Binning, but aboriginal said it belonged to a 'family friend'.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said it is 'considering' the probe's findings and 'taking the indispensable adjacent steps successful this process'.

A spokesperson for Northumberland County Council yesterday said the authorization could not remark connected idiosyncratic staffing matters.