Two 'boomerang bosses' at Humberside Fire and Rescue Service set up their own business ventures while in office

Humberside’s chief fire officer, Chris Blacksell, and Phil Shillito, his deputy, have both been allowed to retire and then return to their highly-paid jobs a month later.

The move allows them to access six-figure lump sum pension payments and receive increases in their take-home pay as employee pension contributions are no longer required.

Mr Blacksell’s salary in 2019/20 was £147,000 while Mr Shillito picked up £125,000.

Mr Blacksell, who retired and returned in October 2018, and Mr Shillito, who did the same last month, also set up a private company last year to develop an undisclosed business venture.

They resigned as directors and shareholders in Ignis Holdings Ltd two months ago, insisting this was because the venture had not proved viable rather than knowledge of their business interest beginning to filter out.

Humberside Fire Authority’s chairman, John Briggs, defended the officers and said current rules meant they had not been required to record their outside business interest as it had not traded with their own service.

But he added: “To ensure openness, I will be instigating a review of the Declaration of Interest procedures to ascertain if any amendment may be beneficial.”

He also maintained the authority’s stance that both officers were essential to maintaining public safety and exceptional circumstances applied to their retiring and returning. The authority approved the move for both chiefs despite government efforts to put a stop to the practice.

The Government’s position has been detailed in the Fire and Rescue National Framework, which sets out overall strategic direction for fire authorities, with a clause stressing retiring and rehiring chief officers should only happen in exceptional circumstances when necessary for public safety.

Humberside Fire Authority decided retention of both officers met the public safety threshold.

Mr Blacksell and Mr Shillito each became 20 per cent shareholders and directors of Ignis Holdings Ltd when it was incorporated on October 31, 2019. In turn, Ignis wholly owned two separate firms, set up a day later, providing fire safety services – Fortifire Fire and Safety Ltd and Fortifire Fire Door Testing Ltd.

However, both officers said they were planning a business venture separate from Fortifire, whose services include fire risk assessments, stating they had no involvement in the company’s day-to-day activities.

Mr Blacksell said he could not say what the business venture was while Mr Shillito said it was the subject of a non-disclosure agreement. Both did say it was unconnected to any services provided by their current employer.

They said their business interest ended when they decided it was not viable and stressed they received no financial benefit from their involvement.

Mr Blacksell said: “Whilst Ignis holds shares in other companies, the only involvement I had, or would have ever had, was the business venture that ultimately wasn’t initiated. On reviewing my involvement after 12 months it became clear that business was unlikely to ever be started and so I left Ignis Holdings.”

Mr Shillito added: “Whilst Ignis had a structural relationship with Fortifire, my focus was on the opportunities with Ignis. When this opportunity was determined not to be viable, I resigned from the board.”