Firefighters rally again at public meeting once again calling for top boss to resign

Northamptonshire firefighters are rallying outside the Guildhall today (Thursday), calling for the police, fire and crime scrutiny panel to pass a vote of no confidence in police, fire and crime commissioner Stephen Mold.

This follows a firefighter vote of no confidence in Mr Mold’s leadership this Monday, with the FBU Northamptonshire Brigade Committee passing the vote unanimously.

The scrutiny panel has the power to stage their own vote at their meeting today, to pressure Mr Mold to resign.

In July, Stephen Mold appointed staff member Nicci Marzec, to the role of interim chief fire officer – despite the fact that Ms Marzec had never been a firefighter and had no operational experience of the fire service.

After outcry from the public, the Fire Brigades Union, and local politicians, Ms Marzec stepped down from the role.

She has since resigned from all positions she holds with the PFCC office, including head of staff.

Mr Mold remains in post.

The FBU has called on Fire Minister Chris Philp to end this “abuse of power” by scrapping the “undemocratic and unaccountable” PFCC model.

Adam Taylor, Fire Brigades Union Executive Council representative for the East Midlands, said: “Stephen Mold must listen to his constituents and resign. How can a disgraced commissioner oversee our fire service when our firefighters have no confidence in his leadership?

"He has abused his position of power for private gain and has been dodging accountability ever since.

“Firefighters have passed a vote of no confidence in the commissioner. Residents of Northamptonshire are calling for him to go. The scrutiny panel today must follow suit. We must have confidence that our fire service is being run in the interest of public safety.”On July 27 members of the FBU held a rally outside Guildhall where they first called for Mr Mold’s resignation.