Fire service officer leading Milton Keynes blue light hub project found guilty of drink driving

Paul Holland is the head of the projects and transformation team for Bucks Fire and Rescue.

He has in the past been responsible for training all firefighters in Milton Keynes and across the rest of the county.

Mr Holland was given a driving ban and fine by magistrates last week after pleading guilty to drink driving.

It is understood he had almost twice the legal amount of alcohol in his system.

The offence happened while he was off duty and driving his own car.

This week it was confirmed Mr Holland was suspended from his duties to allow a Bucks Fire investigation to take place and disciplinary procedures to be decided.

A Bucks fire spokesman said: “An independent external investigation is underway following the conviction of an officer for a drink-driving offence. He has been suspended pending the outcome.”

Mr Holland was one of the leading figures pressing for the new centralised blue light hub at West Ashland to be built.

It will allow the fire service to share premises with emergency police and ambulance stations.

The scheme was approved, but will mean the closure of existing fire stations at Great Holm and Bletchley.

At the time of the public consultation 18 months ago, Mr Holland assured concerned residents in the north of the city that the loss of localised stations would not increase response times.

Drink driver Paul Holland describes himself on his Linked In profile: “(I’m) leading on the public consultation, design, planning and building of a new multi-million pound blue light hub in MK.”