New Chief Fire Officer recommended for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service

A new fire chief is being recommended for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service following a “robust selection process”.

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire Authority Appointments Committee is recommending Matthew Warren as the new Chief Fire Officer/Chief Executive Officer.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: “The recommendation follows a nationwide recruitment search with a robust selection process carried out over the past few weeks culminating in interviews with the Fire Authority’s Appointments Committee [on Wednesday], assisted by Stephen Moir, Chief Executive of Cambridgeshire County Council, as an external independent assessor.

“Matthew is currently Deputy Chief Executive for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service and has worked for the service for over 20 years. He joined in 2003 as Head of Finance, before becoming Director of Resources in 2009 and Deputy Chief Executive in 2015.”

Councillor Edna Murphy, Chair of the Fire Authority, said: “Matthew was our unanimous choice as the candidate we will recommend to the full Fire Authority when it meets on June 20th. Matthew’s proven ability at chief officer level, his forward-thinking approach with its emphasis on people, combined with his operational qualifications made him stand out. He has been an integral part of the chief officer team for many years and is passionate about continuing to make the fire and rescue service the best it can be.”

The Fire Authority will make the final decision in June.

The current chief fire officer, Chris Strickland, announced his retirement in February – having served over 40 years in the fire and rescue service and the past eight as chief fire officer for Cambridgeshire.