“No Assurance” Audit Prompts Cleveland Fire Brigade Crackdown on Staff Second Jobs
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Cleveland Fire Brigade Does Not Know Which Staff Held Secondary Contracts, Inspectors Find ..
5th June 2026
Cleveland Fire Brigade has approved tighter rules governing second jobs and secondary contracts after a recent internal audit conducted by Hartlepool Borough Council provided “no assurance.”
The finding was disclosed in minutes from a Cleveland Fire Authority Executive Committee meeting held on the 15th of May 2026, where members approved a revised Outside Employment and Secondary Contracts Policy.
According to the documents, the policy was revised after the issue was identified as an area for improvement during the brigade’s most recent inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS).
The papers state that the policy was also strengthened in response to the findings of a recent internal audit conducted by Hartlepool Borough Council, which “provided no assurance.”
The revised policy is intended to strengthen reporting processes, improve oversight of working time and address the management of fatigue risks. Staff will be informed of the updated process and given an initial amnesty period in which to submit declarations relating to outside employment and secondary contracts.
Previous Inspection Raised Concerns Over Monitoring
The changes follow concerns raised in the brigade’s HMICFRS inspection report, published in April 2025, where its claimed Inspectors found that Cleveland Fire Brigade did not effectively monitor the hours being worked by staff with second jobs or dual contracts.
The report said:
“The brigade doesn’t monitor staff who have secondary employment or dual contracts to make sure they comply with the secondary employment policy and don’t work excessive hours.”
Inspectors found that a secondary-employment procedure introduced in June 2024 clearly outlined rest periods for staff with second jobs. However, the report said there was insufficient monitoring of the hours being worked by staff with dual contracts and the possible impact on their wellbeing and safety. The inspection report also said that responsibility had previously been placed on employees to declare outside work and seek approval from the brigade. However, inspectors said the rule had not been properly communicated to the workforce after it was updated in 2017.
The report added:
“As a result, the brigade doesn’t know which staff have secondary contracts or the effect this could have on their primary roles.”
HMICFRS said the brigade should proactively monitor working hours, including overtime, to improve staff wellbeing.
Revised Policy Approved After Union Consultation
The Executive Committee was told that trade unions had been consulted on the revised policy and that feedback had been incorporated into the final version.
The issue is likely to raise further questions about how the brigade previously monitored secondary employment, dual contracts and overtime, particularly in operational roles where fatigue could potentially affect staff wellbeing and public safety, with claims the brigade may now face calls to publish the internal audit report and explain what additional checks will be introduced under the revised policy.
