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Nathaniel Hooton appointed as Interim Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Community Safety

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Gloucestershire County Council has appointed Nathaniel Hooton as Interim Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Community Safety from 1 October 2026, following the retirement of current Chief Fire Officer, Mark Preece. Nathaniel currently serves as Deputy Chief Fire Officer and will undertake a handover with Mark during September before formally taking up the role.

The appointment follows an internal recruitment and interview process, after the council's Appointments Committee agreed to defer recruitment to the substantive role until 2027 due to the uncertainty surrounding Local Government Reorganisation and future governance arrangements for the fire and rescue service.

Nathaniel was selected following an internal expression of interest and interview process, during which he demonstrated his leadership capability, experience and vision for leading Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service and Community Safety through a period of significant change.

Jo Walker, Chief Executive of Gloucestershire County Council, said: "I am delighted that we have appointed Nathaniel as Interim Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Community Safety.

"Nathaniel demonstrated a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the service, together with the leadership experience, strategic insight and commitment to continuity of leadership required to guide the organisation through this important period.

"As Deputy Chief Fire Officer, he has already played a significant role in supporting the service's improvement journey, strengthening operational effectiveness and contributing to the council's wider priorities. This appointment provides continuity and stability while we continue to prepare for future changes associated with Local Government Reorganisation.

"I would also like to thank Mark Preece for his outstanding leadership and dedication to Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, and for supporting a smooth transition ahead of his retirement."

Cllr Paul Hodgkinson, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities and Fire, said: "Nathaniel brings a wealth of operational and leadership experience to this role and has a strong track record of serving both the organisation and the people of Gloucestershire.

"He has been instrumental in supporting the significant progress made by Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service in recent years and I am confident he will continue to build on that success.

"This appointment ensures strong leadership and stability at a time of change, enabling the service to maintain its focus on keeping communities safe while continuing its improvement journey. I look forward to working with Nathaniel in his new role and wish him every success."

The council expects to begin recruitment to the permanent Chief Fire Officer and Executive Director of Community Safety position in 2027.