Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service has seen a significant leadership shake-up as Assistant Chief Fire Officer Adam Matthews resigned from his position and left the organisation with immediate effect. Matthews, alongside Chief Fire Officer Simon Hardiman, was the subject of an independent inquiry after offensive and misogynistic WhatsApp messages were leaked to ITN in April this year.

While Chief Fire Officer Hardiman has been allowed to return to his role following the inquiry, the position of ACFO Matthews had remained uncertain. The fire authority ultimately confirmed that Matthews resigned on September 30 but declined to comment further on whether the inquiry into his conduct had concluded.

The inquiry into Chief Fire Officer Hardiman has been completed, resulting in a written warning and a mandatory training requirement. Despite the controversy, the Chair of the fire authority expressed support for Hardiman’s return, stating, “I am pleased CFO Hardiman will now be coming back to work.

The decision to allow Hardiman to resume his post has been met with backlash within the fire sector. Women in the Fire Service (WFS) voiced their dismay over the outcome, stating they were “astonished” by the findings of the investigation. In a LinkedIn post, WFS noted that, although the details of the inquiry are not public, the leaked content seen in the media was “abhorrent” and amounted to “sexist and misogynistic behaviour.

The group is now seeking a meeting with the Fire Minister to address culture change within fire and rescue services. This incident has added to ongoing concerns about workplace culture in emergency services and has prompted calls for more significant action to address gender equality and professionalism within the sector.

The developments in Shropshire have underscored the broader challenges facing fire and rescue services across the UK, with many stakeholders calling for systemic changes to foster a more inclusive and respectful environment for all members of the service.