The interim chief executive of West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) has quit, claiming that he has been “threatened repeatedly, mainly to stay quiet on vital subjects in the public interest.”
In a post on LinkedIn, Oliver Lee, who was suspended from the role on Monday, claimed he had been threatened with an injunction from the High Court and would not destroy his family with “vast legal bills”.
In a post last month he said WMFS’s governance was “wholly impossible”.
WMFS said the commitment of staff “has never wavered”.
On Monday the fire authority said Mr Lee’s suspension was subject to ratification by the full fire authority and it was “hugely deflating… that we have reached this point”.
On Thursday evening, Mr Lee said he would “not be gagged” and he had resigned “in order to do what is right”.
He added: “West Midlands will now sadly continue as was when I inherited it: scared, cowed and not able to be itself.”
Mr Lee said WMFS was “another Post Office”, and that despite “my having told everyone up to the Home Office, nobody did a thing”.
The BBC has contacted the Home Office for a response.
Mr Lee was appointed chief executive on an interim basis in March following the death of the service’s previous chief Wayne Brown in January.
In September, Mr Lee said he would not be applying for the permanent role.
He claimed the service’s governance lacked “courage, transparency, care and honesty”.
WMFS said while the last few weeks had been unsettling for staff, their commitment to “our communities and their crucial, life-saving roles to protect the three million people of the West Midlands has never wavered”.
A spokesperson stated: “We are proud that our staff have and always will serve our communities.
“We will continue to work with our partners at the National Fire Chiefs Council, Home Office and His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services to ensure their comfort and confidence in our work.”
In a statement on Monday regarding Mr Lee’s suspension, the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority said: “In what has been a very difficult year for West Midlands Fire Service, it is hugely deflating for all involved that we have reached this point, and we realise this will cause further public concern.”
“The day-to-day running of the service continues under the Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Simon Barry, supported by the rest of the leadership team.
“They remain fully focused on ensuring our people can continue to deliver a vital and outstanding emergency service to the communities of the West Midlands.”
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