West Midlands Fire Service appoints new chief after predecessor's shock U-turn

West Midlands Fire Service has appointed Simon Tuhill as its new chief officer after his predecessor withdrew his acceptance of the role "following a period of reflection". Ben Brook, who led Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, was appointed to head the organisation following an announcement on Friday, November 9.

But Mr Brook made a shock U-turn and turned down the offer only days later. The fire service said Mr Brook still felt there was work to be done in Warwickshire and that the "pull" to stay was greater than the "pull back to the West Midlands".

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Simon Tuhill, has now been appointed as Chief Fire Officer in the West Midlands. Mr Tuhill said the offer was "too good to turn down".

READ MORE: Turmoil continues at West Midlands Fire Service as new chief rescinds job offer days after accepting

He added: “It is an honour to take on the leadership mantle of West Midlands Fire Service. The opportunity to lead, manage and develop a service so dedicated to protecting the West Midlands is very special and I am so pleased to be accept this opportunity.

“WMFS has an excellent reputation for its prevention, protection and response capabilities and it will be a privilege to walk through the door as the Chief Fire Officer for the first time. I know how hard staff have worked in difficult circumstances throughout 2024.”

Mr Tuhill said he was "well placed" to "lead the service through this current period of uncertainty". "I commit to always keeping our staff at the heart of my decision making," he said.

“I’m so excited to work in such a diverse and vibrant place as the West Midlands. Having been based in similar diverse parts of our capital city during my time in the London Fire Brigade, I know how important the fire service is in helping keep the most vulnerable in society safe - and the special connection we have with our communities is something I cherish and will continue to champion.

“I know there are a range of challenges facing the service in the coming months, I look forward to working with the Home Office and Local Government Association to help improve oversight and scrutiny”.

Mr Tuhill was chosen as the successful candidate by the Appointments, Standards and Appeal Committee. The appointment will be ratified by the Fire Authority on November 25.

Cllr Rizwan Jalil, chair of the committee, said: “Our appointment of Simon is something I am very pleased about. The recruitment process was very competitive and closely run and Simon was an extremely talented candidate. We are pleased that he has accepted this role.

“Through his experience across London, Hertfordshire and Northamptonshire he has built a formidable portfolio of experience while keeping staff the centre of his work. I believe he will take WMFS forward and be an inspiring leader for our staff.”

Cllr Catherine Miks, vice chair of West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “Simon interviewed exceptionally well, setting out a clear vision for what he sees as the priority for the service – its people. He has a wealth of experience in the fire service, and I look forward to working with him.

“On behalf of WMFS, I want to reiterate that we fully respect CFO Brook’s personal decision to remain in Warwickshire, whilst recognising it did lead to further uncertainty.”

Simon Tuhill background

Following completion of his university studies, Mr Tuhill initially worked in the pharmaceutical and medical industry. He began his fire service journey in London Fire Brigade in 1998 and over a career based manly in central London, attended large and major incidents including the 7/7 bombings, for which he received a commendation, and the Grenfell Tower fire.

In 2020, he joined Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service as Area Commander and became Assistant Chief Fire Officer. He subsequently moved to Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service as Deputy Chief Fire Officer.

During his time in Northamptonshire, which included being Interim CFO, he guided the service through significant organisational and political turbulence, stabilising and working closely with staff to improve the service.

He is a qualified Gold Commander and holds a Level 7 Certificate in Strategic Incident Command in Fire and Rescue Services, as well as a Post Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Public Services from the University of Warwick.