Petition Update. The post of CFO has now been filled consequently we are pausing the petition. It will be closed when the the new appointee is established in the post. Thank you to everyone who signed, commented and in particular who donated. CJ & others.

Since we launched the original petition in our opinion, the West Midlands Fire Authority, have acted in a retaliatory way to intimidate Colonel Lee, with a legal action in an attempt to silence him and his many supporters, legitimate criticism.

In the interim period the West Midlands Fire Service hastily recruited an experienced Chief Fire Officer. Possibly in an attempt to block Colonel Lee's return. For reasons unknown the new appointee withdrew from the role before he started. This abrupt withdrawal of this newly appointed Chief Fire Officer is a sign of instability and the ongoing issues within the authority.

Personnel currently work under a climate of fear and are reluctant to ‘Whistle Blow’

For years, staff have experienced bullying, harassment, and cronyism. These have plagued the West Midlands Fire & Rescue Service (WMF&RS), leading to a situation where the authority has been unable to appoint a Chief Fire Officer with the qualities of Colonel Lee. The Colonel has demonstrated his leadership integrity, honesty and has the confidence of the personnel.

When Colonel Lee was appointed, there was a collective sigh of relief—a rare occurrence in a service that typically promotes Chief Officers who have risen through the ranks. During his brief tenure, Colonel Oliver Lee uplifted morale and highlighted the Fire Authority as a significant barrier to modernising the service for the 21st century. Notably, the Chair of the Authority had to resign after clashes and falsely claiming that his military career included service as a Royal Marine.

Colonel Lee is too dignified to pursue the dysfunctional Fire Authority but has publicly declared that he is available, if the powers to be reach out. Colonel Lee has the support of the serving members of WMF&RS & Retired Members.

Signatories call for transparency from the WMF&RS Authority about the reasons behind the legal actions against Colonel Lee and to address the broader issues of culture and leadership within the service.

This extends beyond being a Fire Service matter. We call upon the people of the West Midlands, who look to the organisation for professionalism and protection to give the petition their support and urge community members and stakeholders to lend their voices to the petition, amplifying the call for Colonel Lee’s reinstatement.