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Fire chief on home leave as sparks fly
SOUTH Yorkshire's fire chief and one of his top ranking officers are both away from their jobs after a bust-up.
Chief Fire Officer Barry O'Donnell agreed with South Yorkshire Fire Authority to take leave while a complaint made against him by his assistant deputy Ron Webster is investigated.
Mr Webster, who lives in Rotherham, has been away from his desk at the brigade's headquarters in Wellington Street, Sheffield, on sick leave for more than a month.
South Yorkshire Fire Authority, the body run by politicians who oversee the brigade's work, has started an investigation into his complaint against Mr O'Donnell.
They have called in outside assistance from a senior officer with another brigade.
The absence of the two officers leaves the brigade's four-strong senior command team down to one regular officer, deputy chief Colin Webster, because the other assistant deputy retired several weeks ago.
The service is already engulfed in controversy over plans to close the Ringinglow station in Sheffield and mothball a specialist fire tender stationed at Barnsley. And the brigade is also facing its biggest upheaval in decades, as the Government introduces national changes to the way fire services operate and the duties they fulfil.
Fire Authority Clerk and Treasurer Bill Wilkinson said: "There has been some tension within the senior brigade, that is not surprising given what the fire service has faced in the last 12 months.
"It is about different management styles and the restructuring coming along means there will be tension and friction.
"We have been working with the brigade to look into the reasons, and what we can do to help the brigade get sorted for the future."
It is understood one problem he raised was his working relationship with the chief officer.
Mr Wilkinson confirmed one officer went on sick leave at the end of November and was still away and that Mr O'Donnell's decision to take leave was "connected with the tensions".
Replacements had been temporarily promoted to take the roles of the absent officers, he added: "On paper it looks weak but in practice it is not. Emergency services are geared up for this sort of thing and have other officers available to step into the breach."
Mr O'Donnell, who lives at Wharncliffe Side, and the other officers involved, could not be contacted.
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Weather for Sheffield
Wednesday 23 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
