Leader writes to Home Secretary asking for 'comprehensive review' of crisis-hit fire authority

Councillor Garry Perry sent Home Secretary Yvette Cooper a damning letter outlining the chaos at the authority which resulted in the resignation of the authority chairman and chief fire officer last week.

Councillor Perry believes former interim chief fire officer Oliver Lee should have been backed after raising concerns about governance at the authority.

He wrote: "I am writing to express significant concerns which have intensified over time, particularly from the period of the late Wayne Brown’s leadership, through to the recent tenure of interim chief fire officer Oliver Lee.

"There are troubling indications of financial discrepancies, leadership inadequacies, and unresolved staff grievances, suggesting deeper systemic issues.

"Mr. Lee was initially appointed to restore stability following the sudden death of his predecessor. However, during his tenure, he quickly uncovered more extensive problems than expected, including the aforementioned governance failures. His efforts to address these were met with significant resistance, culminating in a public dispute with the Fire Authority."

The council leader wants a review to find out what the "deeper issues" are within the authority and "what mechanisms are in place within the WMFA to detect and address governance failures, financial discrepancies, and leadership inadequacies".

He also questioned "how the WMFA handle staff grievances - and to what extent did the governance practices under former chair Greg Brackenridge contribute to the tensions and disputes with Mr. Lee?"

Councillor Perry also claimed "council representatives were kept unaware of critical investigations and decisions".

"How does the WMFA ensure that constituent councils are fully engaged in governance processes?"

HM Fire and Rescue Inspectorate, which is part of the Home Office's responsibilities, has already announced it will investigate the issues at WMFS during a planned November assessment.

However, Councillor Perry raised doubts about the robustness of the investigation to the Home Secretary.

He said: "Given the Labour-led composition of the WMFA, the potential for criminal investigations, and the fact that the Labour Police and Crime Commissioner sits on the authority, alongside the former chair’s connections to a West Midlands Labour MP, what measures are being taken to ensure that investigations are genuinely independent and free from any political bias? How can the public be assured that there is no conflict of interest, and that any inquiry or investigation provides an objective and impartial assessment?"

At the end of last Monday's fire authority meeting, the vice chairman Councillor Catherine Miks, acting as interim chairman, welcomed the prospect of a HM Fire and Rescue Inspectorate review of the service.

She said: "I realise these have been difficult and disruptive times, but the authority is entirely committed to ensuring we support our staff to provide an outstanding service to the communities of the West Midlands.”

HM chief inspector Andy Cooke already reprimanded the service and authority in a scathing letter and will be reviewing the service this autumn. Councillor Miks said his report would be published within two months.