Essex Fire and Rescue Service has been slated for its "appalling and shameful" record on equality and sickness levels -- by the people who run it.

It was criticised for its low level of women and black recruits.

It was branded as an organisation with highly ingrained discrimination plus problems with bullying and harassment, and

It was called "a sick organisation" with the highest levels of people having time off ill in any brigade in the region.

Calls were made to dramatically change the culture of the service, traditionally dominated by white men, as soon as possible.

The frank admissions were made at a meeting of Essex Fire Authority.

In the light of the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, which put the spotlight on public service organisations, members of the authority had asked for a report on the Essex brigade's record.

Chief Fire Officer David Turner said: "We do recognise our past record. The management is committed to changing things but it will need a culture change and that is not easy." Bill Archibald (Lab, Basildon Fryens) said the bad record was probably in line with most other fire services in the country.

But he added: "It is appalling and we should be truly ashamed. We should commit ourselves do doing something about it."

A confidential helpline is being set up later this year to help in the fight against bullying and victimisation.

Though sickness levels were last year the highest in the region, Mr Turner stressed they were coming down.

A spokesman for the Fire Brigades' Union said some people still harboured prejudices. "We have to try and change this but it will take real commitment to get rid of prejudice."

The spokesman said bullying sometimes involved senior ranks and he accused management of turning a blind eye.

He said in some cases people were on sick leave when they should be retired, and that could have contributed to high sickness levels.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Women firefighters: The brigade employs one full-time woman firefighter and three part-time. The Government says 20 have to be recruited by 2007.

Firefighters from ethnic communities: The brigade employs three full-time firefighters from ethnic communities. The Government says 20 have to be recruited by 2007.

Sick leave: Last year 14 per cent of working days of full-time uniformed employees were lost to sick leave. By last April it was down to eight per cent. The national average is about four per cent. Fire stations worst affected included Colchester, Basildon and Hadleigh.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.