Fire chair resigns over 'unwanted' behaviour

The chair of the Avon Fire Authority has resigned after accusations of inappropriate behaviour against two members of staff.

Ben Nutland is still sitting as a South Gloucestershire councillor but is now serving as an independent after being suspended by the Liberal Democrats.

The allegations centre on an event after a conference dinner at Bristol's Hilton Hotel in November 2024, during which it is claimed he followed a fire service employee to her hotel room.

Mr Nutland suggested his drink may have been spiked, but no evidence to support this claim was found by the panel investigating the complaint.

The allegations against Mr Nutland only came to light following the publication of a report published by the the Avon Fire Authority's governance and oversight committee hearing earlier this month.

Mr Nutland resigned in December after being notified of the complaint, the report states.

The committee's report states that the allegations from both women relate to a party following a dinner at the Asian Fire Service Association conference, during which he allegedly called one woman - referred to only as "employee one" - "stunning".

He is claimed to have asked the woman if she wanted to "go upstairs" with him, before following her back to her room and going inside and taking off his jacket and shoes and getting on to her bed.

The panel investigating the complaint heard that the woman had asked him to leave, which he did with no physical contact, but had described his behaviour as "unwanted" and making her "very uncomfortable".

The second employee to make a complaint claimed that Mr Nutland had twice attempted to get her to dance with him, despite clearly being told she did not want to.

She felt harassed to the point she did not want to return to her car alone that night, a panel heard.

Mr Nutland, the report said, claimed not to recall behaving in this manner but had said he "did encourage others to join the dancing".

The report noted that Mr Nutland had made a "full" and "heartfelt" apology for his actions and had suggested his drink had been spiked.

The fire authority panel found that Mr Nutland had breached the code of conduct on three counts in relation to the complaint made by employee one, and on once count in relation to employee two.

A spokesperson for South Gloucestershire Council said they had been formally notified of a breach of the fire authority's code of conduct.

As Mr Nutland was appointed to his role by the council, the spokesperson continued, it was now being considered how the matter should be handled under the councillor code of conduct.

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