Stephen Mold: Dozens of 'angry' firefighters call for Northants crime and fire boss to QUIT over 'FIASCO'

Dozens of ‘angry’ firefighters in ‘disbelief’ have called for Northamptonshire police, fire and crime commissioner Stephen Mold QUIT.

Firefighters turned up in numbers to protest against Northants PFCC Stephen Mold’s recent actions.

The rally, taking place outside The Guildhall in Northampton, on Thursday morning (July 27) comes after a turbulent couple of weeks for the commissioner.

The protest also coincides with members of Northamptonshire’s police, fire and crime panel meeting today (Thursday), behind closed doors, to discuss Mr Mold’s actions. The panel was not convened to approve a controversial appointment of a friend of Mr Mold’s, Nicci Marzec. She lasted just ten days in the role, before resigning.

Mr Mold attended the panel to confirm Simon Tuhill as interim chief fire officer, after Ms Marzec left.

Speaking at the protest, Chris Kemp of the Fire Brigade Union (FBU) said: “We’re here to challenge and protest the appointment of the interim fire officer that the PFCC installed back on July 7, going through no process whatsoever and bypassing all the experienced assistant chief fire officers who were in service at the time that we believe should have been acted up or temporarily promoted instead of who was appointed.

"We are in disbelief it happened in the first place, which has turned into anger that this whole fiasco is carrying on.”

Asked why Ms Marzec may have been appointed, the fire boss said ‘there are a lot of rumours’.

Mr Kemp said: “Obviously there are lots of rumours around. Some things that Mr Mold has admitted to but other than their friendship I don’t know why she was appointed. We don’t see any reason why there was that urgency to appoint her. On the back of that, there was no process followed, which Mr Mold admitted was an error in a recent BBC interview.”

Mr Kemp now would like to see Mr Mold resign.

"I think that would be the honourable and decent thing to do,” said Mr Kemp.

Labour councillor Danielle Stone, of the Castle ward in Northampton, was also in attendance.

Councillor Stone will stand for Labour at the next Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner elections in May 2024.

She said: “I’m really very surprised about what’s happened because I expected better from people in that position. I thought they would be smarter and know how to keep themselves out of trouble. What’s surprising me is the lack of openness and transparency in what’s gone on. I don’t think he’s answering the questions that need to be answered.

“I’m also really surprised about the lack of boundaries between his private life, public life and his business life. Why was his business premises being used as an office for police, crime commissioner? What’s the link between his business interests and police and crime commissioner? Is there a link? I think we need to know.

“I would like a lot more openness and transparency. I think the FBU has done a really good job in asking questions and calling Steven Mold to account.

"I’m looking forward to the result of this panel and I’m looking forward to the day Steven Mold is open and honest with us all.”

Asked what would make her good at the PFCC role, councillor Stone says he experience and knowledge would make her ‘really useful’.

The councillor said: “I’m a community activist. I’ve been working for the local authority all my life, whether as an officer or a councillor. My knowledge about the community, my contacts and understanding about how local authorities function will be really useful, because I think there is too big a distance created between the services and the people who pay for them. I want to close that gap.”

Independent councillor Paul Clarke, of the Billing and Rectory Farm ward, gave his thoughts on the saga.

He said: “If the relationship stories are true, Mold is guilty of misconduct in public office and must go.

"How can you have a person in high office & in overall charge of the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer whose integrity is being openly questioned? Public trust & confidence is essential and it is obviously lacking.

"In my opinion he is unfit to hold public office.”

More to come as and when we get results from the panel taking place today.