The Suffolk Hyde Affair - Doc 228 Suffolk County Council Monitoring Officer

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The Fire Brigades Union

No. 10 Region

Reply to:

Lowestoft Fire Station
PO Box 54
Lowestoft
NR32 2QA

15th June 1999


Dear Mr Stevens,

I am writing to you on behalf and in the capacity of the representative for Firefighter M Hyde.

As you will be aware Firefighter Hyde’s hearing, by summary forum, is scheduled for 20th July 1999. You must also be aware (explanation Doc 129) of the intention to engage your colleague Mr C Jackson as assessor to the hearing.

The latter action is a serious and unprecedented departure from the procedure practised and clearly specified in the Fire Service discipline regulations. Conclusive of this is regulation 9 (4)

The chief officer (where a case falls to be heard by him) or the fire authority (where a case falls to be heard by its disciplinary tribunal) may appoint not more than 2 persons to act as assessors at the hearing.

This being the case I ask you to please confirm that Mr Jackson will definitely act as assessor at Firefighter Hyde’s hearing. I would also be grateful if you can inform me as to why it is felt necessary to introduce Mr Jackson into this discipline case. Furthermore, I am unable to find any authority within the relevant regulations to support Mr Jackson’s introduction. I would be most pleased if you could guide me to the relevant provision. Finally, I would be extremely pleased for you to inform me who in the Fire Service is responsible for this decision, which itself may be a breach of the relevant regulations.

I would be pleased if you could give these matters your urgent attention and provide me with a response within your organisations normal reply period of four days.


Yours faithfully



A Wigglesworth. BSc, MBA, G.I.Fire.E.