The Suffolk Hyde Affair - Doc 71 Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service Chief Fire Officer

Suffolk County Council

Fire Service

M Hyde Esq
Lowestoft

SAS/MLA
Mr S A Smith
01473 588939
19th March 1999

Dear Mr Hyde,

In response to your letter of 16th March 1999, I would advise you as follows.

You are well aware that my secretary has made strenuous attempts to arrange a mutually convenient date to hear your grievance. On 1st March 1999, when she telephoned you to ask for some suitable dates, you were prepared to offer dates as late as 31st March. The Grievance Procedure makes provision for any time limits to be varied by mutual consent. I think it is perfectly reasonable to assume that, as you were clearly prepared to have your grievance heard on 31st March, you had, in effect, agreed to a variation of any time limits set out in that stage of the procedure.

Notwithstanding the above, your recent County Court summons against the County council, which has now been dealt with by the County Solicitors Department, has resulted in resolution of your problem and, I am advised that you therefore no longer have a grievance against your employer in this matter.

Yours sincerely

SASmith

Deputy Chief Fire Officer