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Northamptonshire firefighters await decision on new chief

Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service Woman with short fair hair tied back, wearing a grey jacket and standing in front of a hedgeNorthamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service
Northamptonshire's Police, Crime and Fire Panel met to discuss whether to confirm Nikki Watson's appointment

Firefighters are waiting to hear whether a local government panel has approved the appointment of a former senior police officer as their new chief.

Nikki Watson is the subject of a complaint being currently investigated by a police watchdog.

Northamptonshire's Police, Fire and Crime Panel discussed Ms Watson's proposed appointment on Tuesday.

Members are due to announce whether they have given their approval soon.

The panel, which has met in Northampton and is made up mainly of councillors, scrutinises the work of the county's elected police, fire and crime commissioner Stephen Mold.

Mr Mold told the panel that Ms Watson, the former deputy chief constable of Avon and Somerset Police, was his preferred candidate.

He said there was "no criminal element" to the complaint being investigated by the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC).

Mr Mold said Ms Watson was confident the "matter" was "without substance" but had arisen after she had been chosen as the preferred candidate.

Panel members said concerns had been expressed about the appointment.

West Northamptonshire Council Man with short dark hair and glasses stands in front of leather-bound booksWest Northamptonshire Council
Andre González de Savage said he had received 200 emails and calls about the appointment

André González de Savage, a Conservative councillor, told the BBC he had received more than 200 emails and phone calls "from members of the public and serving firefighters" urging him to vote against the appointment.

Ms Watson also answered questions from panel members during the meeting, part of which was held in private.

"I feel a lot of my skills will be transferable to the fire service," she said.

"I am no shrinking violet. I will be happy to listen and happy to explain."

She said she had been in public service for 36 years.

The previous chief fire officer, Mark Jones, stepped down suddenly in July 2023 after a year in the post, and his successor Nicci Marzec left her interim chief officer post last July after only 10 days.

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