Anger over fire chief's pay out

Merseyside firefighters striked over staff promotion

A fire brigade leader, who called large pay-offs "morally repugnant", has been pensioned-off with a £200,000 lump sum.

Union leaders have called Malcolm Saunders, the former chief of Merseyside Fire Service, "a hypocrite" for accepting the deal.

Mr Saunders has also been given a pension of £41,000-a-year following his resignation on health grounds after spending months on sick leave due to a nervous illness.

The fire service said the chief had been entitled to the pay-out and pension.

Malcolm Saunders, received his "entitlement"

Peter Skinley, head of the Fire Brigade Union on Merseyside, said Mr Saunders had led a campaign against firefighters taking retirement on health grounds.

He said: "At one tribunal, before the local fire authority, he told them he found it morally repugnant to take early retirement on health grounds.

"Now he is doing exactly that and enjoying the benefits which he tried to deny to others. That is pure hypocrisy on his part."

A spokesman for Merseyside Fire Service refused to confirm the details of the settlement but said: "Mr Saunders has gone out under the auspices of the Fireman's Pension Scheme.

"He got what he was entitled to."

Mr Saunders, who has a philosophy degree and is a keen amateur poet, regularly clashed with unions during his four years on Merseyside.

Last summer, firefighters went on strike over a plan by Mr Saunders to promote non-uniformed staff to middle management positions.