POLICE and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan will today begin overseeing North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

However, her first day in the new role comes as she faces criticism from North Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel over a recent report into allegations of “bullying behaviour” from a member of staff.

The allegations claimed Mrs Mulligan demonstrated “consistent disrespect, for example by making negative - sometimes humiliating - comments” about a member of staff's work.

Mrs Mulligan submitted a statement to today’s meeting of the Police and Crime Panel, saying she had “very carefully reflected on the content of that report”, and she was “truly sorry” for her actions.

The statement reads: “I am both very concerned and truly sorry that anything I may have said or done could be perceived in the way described by the complainant.

“While I note the sub-committee’s emphasis that it found no evidence of harassment, victimisation or deliberately ‘setting up’ the complainant to fail, I have nevertheless taken very seriously the conclusion that some of my behaviours were perceived by the complainant to have been ‘bullying’ in their nature. I would again therefore like to say how sorry I am for any impact this may have had on the complainant.”

Mrs Mulligan said she fully accepted “there were serious deficiencies within my office in terms of the appropriate arrangements for performance management, monitoring and welfare”, and would act to improve areas the panel sub-committee felt were deficient, including “management, direction and support”.

She also invited the sub-committee to visit the office “and to speak to whomever they wish”, and said she was “keen to conduct a survey” through an independent body, to look at “staff perceptions of bullying in the workplace". Work has already started on drafting this, and will be submitted for approval by the panel.

Responsibility for governance and oversight of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service transferred to the PCC today, replacing the North Yorkshire Fire Authority.

Mrs Mulligan - whose new role is Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner - said: “We have incredibly hardworking firefighters and staff in North Yorkshire. I have met with many of them in recent weeks and will continue to do that now the transfer of governance has taken place.

“An independent report on the current situation within the Fire Service has been commissioned and this will publish its findings shortly. I will outline my plans and vision for the future of the organisation following this and ahead of the first meeting of the Police, Fire and Crime Panel in early December.”