Sacked West Midlands Fire Service chief vows not to be 'silenced and bullied' by former bosses

Oliver Lee OBE was fired at the end of last week's chaotic fire authority meeting after withdrawing his resignation after the authority chairman, Wolverhampton Councillor Greg Brackenridge, also stepped down.

A Home Office backed review by HM Fire and Rescue Inspectorate into the chronic leadership problems in the fire service and authority is set to report its findings in two months.

However, this week Mr Lee OBE revealed lawyers had told him to keep quiet about his term as interim fire chief after the death of his predecessor Wayne Brown in January.

Posting on LinkedIn on Friday: "I find myself besieged by an army of very expensive lawyers and auditors, all trying to pick holes in my tenure as chief executive of West Midlands Fire Service. I neither have lawyers (other than friends who kindly help) nor auditors.

"The protectionist efforts at revisionist history are beyond astonishing.

"In fact, I spent a very demanding period picking up an organisation that was ‘on its knees’. It had immensely low morale, grievances galore, no idea at all about its financial position, very poor governance, and a wholly inadequate leadership architecture.

The former Royal Marine added: "So, I acted and sought change, albeit never unilaterally. I did so in order to do my job, which involves responsibility. For the organisation. For its people. For its operational performance. For what is right. Not for me."

"I also called all of this out, first internally, then again internally, which was resisted, so then finally externally. The idea that vast sums of public money should now be spent discrediting the rightness of what I was asked and bound to do is quite incredible. To say nothing of the traducement of the good people who valiantly tried to help."

On Thursday Mr Lee revealed he had received an email from lawyers Grant Thornton threatening him with legal action if he does not keep all his correspondence confidential about his time with WMFS.

Furious with the legal threats Mr Lee, who shared the email, said on LinkedInL "I got this to my personal email this afternoon. I’m not sure I’m being understood here, as I will not be gagged or threatened. Rather, I shall speak out for what is right. This takes courage and is painful, but that is the job of senior leaders. You lead, and take the downsides as such. You are paid to do so, but that bit is unimportant. What is in your heart is what counts.

"It is amazing that they are so keen to maintain confidentiality. I wonder why? I will not flinch on this, as it isn’t really my way to be silenced or bullied."

Supporters of Mr Lee offered to set up a crowdfunder appeal to raise money for legal fees.

Retired firefighter Neil Johnson said: "Does any political activist following this debacle have experience of setting up a crowdfunding account to cover legal fees? As yet another retired WMF&RS employee who’s witnessed these poor behaviours over decades,

"I’d be keen to donate to ensure Oliver Lee OBE gets the legal representation he needs without having to bankrupt himself. They can’t be allowed to get away with this."

The Express & Star approached West Midlands Fire Service for a comment concerning Mr Lee's latest accusations.

At the end of last week's fire authority meeting, the vice chairman Councillor Catherine Miks, acting as interim chairman, welcomed the prospect of a HM Fire and Rescue Inspectorate review of the service.

She said: “I realise these have been difficult and disruptive times, but the authority is entirely committed to ensuring we support our staff to provide an outstanding service to the communities of the West Midlands.”