Scotland’s fire boss has denied offering a former senior colleague a top job behind closed doors.
Chief fire officer Alasdair Hay told a tribunal yesterday he never told Grampian’s former boss David Dalziel the deputy job would be his – and insisted he had always made it clear there would need to be an “open and transparent” recruitment process.
Mr Dalziel claims the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service discriminated against him due to his age and that he was constructively dismissed.
Earlier this week the 62-year-old told the tribunal that just days after Mr Hay’s appointment, he travelled to Aberdeen and told Mr Dalziel he wanted him as deputy when the single force came into being. But yesterday Mr Hay denied making such an offer and claimed Mr Dalziel had been the one to stake a claim on the position.
He told the tribunal: “He asked what I was thinking about for a deputy. I said I was thinking about having two and he said, ‘I’m not prepared to share it with anyone else’. “I said, ‘David I would be absolutely delighted if you were my deputy because I hold you in high regard, but there has to be a process’.”
Mr Dalziel had been shortlisted to become Scotland’s first chief fire officer and Mr Hay claimed yesterday this made him think he was “entitled” to the deputy role. He later applied for the job and at interview was asked if he was interested in the deputy or assistant chief roles, or both.
Mr Dalziel did not land either and claims that – given his wealth of experience, skills and knowledge over the other nine candidates – this was because of his age.
Mr Hay said age had “nothing whatsoever” to do with the decision and that Mr Dalziel was ruled out as deputy in favour of a stronger candidate on the day. He said: “This is an organisation that runs on people and we need our staff with us. It’s crucial.”
The tribunal continues today.