A NEW panel of experts need to be brought in to change the “corrosive and toxic” culture at the fire service.

A damning report has been presented at a meeting of the Essex Fire Authority following a three month examination of all parts of the service and authority by independent expert Irene Lucas CBE.

She said: “Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is corrosive and toxic.

“Its relationships are dysfunctional.”

She told the meeting, at the service’s lavish Kelvedon Park headquarters today a culture of physical bullying has been replaced by the psychological kind.

She recommended the fire authority appoint external experts and an advisory panel to take charge for the next two years.

The report identified widespread bullying and intimidation and failures from top to bottom within the organisation including a lack of management.

The Chief Fire Officer, David Johnson, is still suspended, having previously been off for ill health according to the fire service, meaning he has been absent for more than a year.

The fire service has been described as “failing” with “dangerous and pervasive bullying”.

Tony Hedley, chairman of the fire authority, said: “The report’s conclusions are obviously disappointing and make for extremely difficult reading.

“Today is a watershed.”

Read the full report in tomorrow's paper.