ANGER over a move to take control of a fire brigade away from councils has boiled over, with a former police officer resigning from a key role while accusing a police commissioner of treating councillors with “little disguised contempt”.

Councillor Peter Dew issued the attack on North Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan to her face, a day after other councillors voiced fury over the Government’s decision to let her take the reins of the county’s fire service.

Six of the county’s seven district councils, the county council and the Police and Crime Panel fought for councillors to continue running the fire service before the Home Secretary ruled Mrs Mulligan should take control of it. She had argued the move would enable the two services to work closely together, improve their efficiency and save at least £6.6m over ten years, which would be used for frontline police and fire services.

Cllr Dew, who joined North Yorkshire Police in 1971, told the county’s Police and Crime Panel he had joined the watchdog to offer his policing experience.

The York councillor said: “I have, however, realised we have a police and crime commissioner who at best treats this panel as an irrelevance, and at worst treats us with little disguised contempt.

“It was my understanding that the purpose of the panel was to support the commissioner and also to hold her to account. But it has been made fairly obvious she only expects the panel to fulfil the former role. In view of the commissioner’s refusal to listen to the advice of the panel, City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council as far as control of North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service is concerned, I see no alternative but to leave this panel.”

The committee’s chairman, Councillor Carl Les, said he would be sorry to see Cllr Dew step down from the role. 

Mrs Mulligan said she would be more than happy to discuss “any specifics about ignoring feelings” with Cllr Dew following the meeting. 

She said: “I am keen this works and would certainly appreciate that feedback.”