Age claim hearing for former Grampian fire chief David Dalziel
The former chief fire officer for Grampian is claiming at an employment tribunal that he was the victim of age discrimination.
David Dalziel, 62, held the Grampian post for eight years until it was amalgamated into a single service.
He applied to become the chief fire officer of the new Scotland-wide service and a number of other senior posts but was not appointed.
Mr Dalziel told the tribunal he was asked to be deputy to the new chief.
He was one of three people shortlisted for the new top job, which was given to Alasdair Hay, from the Tayside brigade.
Mr Dalziel - whose salary was more than £110,000 - told the first day of the tribunal: "After the public announcement, within a few minutes, Mr Hay phoned me.
"He seemed very keen to meet me. He said it was the first phone call he had made. I asked my PA to arrange it and it took place the following Tuesday in my office in Aberdeen.
"Categorically he asked me to be his deputy. He said 'I would love you to be my deputy'."
However, Mr Dalziel said he was later told there would have to be an "open and transparent process".
Mr Dalziel also said he had applied and been interviewed for a series of senior management posts within the new service.
He said he received a telephone call from Mr Hay telling him he had not been successful for any of the posts.
He said: "I asked him what job I had got and he said 'none at all.' I felt physically sick."
Expecting to be told he had been appointed as deputy chief officer, Mr Dalziel had put his mobile on speakerphone for the call so his wife could share the moment with him.
He added: "As a family we had discussed moving once the offer came through.
"When it didn't come I felt totally humiliated and embarrassed by the whole process."
The tribunal hearing in Aberdeen is due to last a week.