The chief fire officer of Avon fire and rescue and his deputy have been suspended in the wake of a report criticising both the service and the authority responsible for its oversight. The Home Office report noted suggestions the fire authority was an “old boys’ club”, while Kevin Pearson, who became chief fire officer in 2001, had been “unchallenged and not held properly to account for too long”. The Avon service confirmed the suspension of Pearson and deputy Lorraine Houghton, saying: “Suspension is a neutral act to protect the organisation and the individuals concerned. “Others, however, said they considered the authority as lacking drive, and seemed largely to be ‘an old boys’ club’, with little discussion of matters of importance, and excessive concerns over minor items. Because key people in senior management positions have been in post for so long, legacy issues cannot be dealt with effectively.

Source: The Guardian July 29, 2017 06:45 UTC