Behind closed doors meeting on crisis hit Highlands fire service
The controversy surrounding the crisis hit Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue service took another twist today when an Edinburgh-based civil servant was locked in debate with its governing body for more than three hours.
Councillors on the Highland and Islands Fire Board had the lengthy behind closed doors talks in Inverness, before the business of the scheduled meeting had even started.
Earlier this month the board agreed that an internal investigation should be carried out into the service after a national watchdog found serious failings in management and firefighter training.
It emerged today that fire board convener, Councillor Richard Durham was contacted via e-mail yesterday (29.3) by the Scottish Government’s head of fire and rescue services Richard Dennis who wanted to address councillors directly.
Despite it not being on the agenda Councillor Durham explained the 11th hour request could be taken as emergency business and the public including senior fire officers and media were asked to leave.
It is understood the public was excluded from the debate because of personnel confidentiality.
The service’s chief fire officer Trevor Johnson is currently on sick leave and it is not known if he will ever return to the role.
Fraught looking councillors were seen leaving the restricted meeting for breaks in what was supposed to be a short debate.
Councillor Durham (Tain) said Mr Dennis had spoken to the board "at length" about a number of issues including training.
"He took questions from the board and the board scrutinised him fully," said the convener.
The convener added that it had been agreed senior officers who were drafted in from other Scottish fire brigades last year after concerns about training would lead the service in the run up to the creation of a national fire service in April next year.
"It means we have formalised the support of the peer support team because the chief fire officer is off ill and we don’t know when he will return," he said. "One of our current senior management team might retire in the next few months as well."
The meeting proper resumed at 2pm. It had been scheduled to start at 10am.
