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Union calls on Northamptonshire PFCC to resign after interim fire chief quits

BBC Stephen MoldBBC
Stephen Mold appointed Nicci Marzac on 7 July but she stood down amid speculation about their friendship

The Fire Brigades Union has called for the resignation of the man who appointed an interim fire chief who stood down after less than two weeks.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue announced on 7 July that Nicci Marzec would be taking over as interim boss.

But on Monday, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner (PFCC) Stephen Mold said she would leave the role amid speculation over their friendship.

Adam Taylor, from the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), said it was "shambolic".

Simon Tuhill, who joined the service as deputy chief fire officer, will be asked to immediately act up in the role vacated by Ms Marzec.

Ms Marzec's appointment was made after previous incumbent Mark Jones said he was resigning to concentrate on recovering from injury.

Northamptonshire PFCC Nicci MarzecNorthamptonshire PFCC
Nicci Marzec was appointed interim fire chief for Northamptonshire by Mr Mold but stood down

Conservative Mr Mold said speculation over his friendship with Ms Marzec meant her role as interim and as monitoring officer his office could not continue.

"My friendship with Nicci Marzec, who is a long-standing colleague, has become the story and that must not damage the reputation of these organisations I work so hard to promote and improve," he said.

'Uncomfortable conversations'

In a statement to the BBC, his office said: "They have reiterated that they are not in a relationship."

Mr Mold also said he "acted too quickly and did not engage with the police, fire and crime panel in the way I would normally".

FBU Adam Taylor, of the Fire Brigades UnionFBU
Adam Taylor of the Fire Brigades Union initially had concerns over Nicci Marzac's lack of firefighting experience

Mr Taylor said the FBU welcomed Ms Marzec's decision to stand down as interim fire chief, but said the appointment was "yet more evidence of the unsuitability of the police and crime commissioner system for the fire and rescue service".

He said Mr Mold's "explanations for the events which have taken place do not appear to add up".

"Stephen Mold should now resign as police, fire and crime commissioner, and we invite members of the scrutiny panel to consider whether his position is in fact still tenable," he added.

Zoe McGee
Labour's Zoe McGee said the Police, Fire and Crime Panel, which she is on, needed to hold Mr Mold to account

Labour's Zoe Mcghee, a North Northamptonshire councillor who sits on the Police, Fire and Crime Panel said she hoped the panel "holds the commissioner to account for his actions on this decision".

She told BBC Radio Northampton the events had "brought to light the integrity and the code of ethics within the PFCC's office and the fire service".

"I hope [the panel and Mr Mold] are ready for some uncomfortable conversations because this saga has called for uncomfortable conversations," she said.

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