Commissioner to save £50,000 on county’s new chief fire officer

ONE OF the country’s first police commissioners to also take oversight of a fire service has revealed how she intends to cut the salary of a leading role.

North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan said the county’s previous substantive Chief Fire Officer, who is now retired, had been employed by her predecessors, the council-run fire authority, and had a basic salary of £155,000 as well as a £6,000 car allowance.

She told North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel that the previous salary for the role appeared to be well above the going rate.

The commissioner, who had pledged to introduce efficiencies before taking over from the fire authority, said: “That’s substantially more than the Chief Constable is paid and actually was the third highest chief fire officer salary in the country.”

Mrs Mulligan said after comparisons with similar fire and rescue services the salary being offered for the top fire service job in the county was now £113,600.

She told members: “There has been a significant reduction in the pay of the role, even with recruitment costs, living costs and so on we are still looking to save around £50,000.”

She said she was reviewing senior roles in organisations she oversees and therefore would only appoint a Chief Fire Officer for a one-year term.

Mrs Mulligan said six candidates had applied for the role – including one from Australia – and following a thorough process, Assistant Chief Fire Officer of Leicestershire Andrew Brodie had been selected on a “loan arrangement” secondment.