Cllr Judith Hughes on Leadership, Representation and Breaking Barriers

Updated June 2026

Over the past decade, conversations about women in leadership have moved forward significantly, but many of the challenges remain the same. Women continue to be underrepresented in senior leadership positions across a number of sectors, particularly in areas traditionally dominated by men, including emergency services, engineering, politics and public service.

When we first interviewed Councillor Judith Hughes, she was making history as the first female Chair of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority. Her appointment represented more than a personal achievement; it highlighted the importance of having diverse voices involved in leadership and decision-making.

As working mums, many of us understand what it feels like to walk into a room where we don’t immediately see people like ourselves represented. Whether that’s returning to work after maternity leave, applying for promotion, starting a business or taking on a leadership role, confidence and visibility matter.

One of the themes that stands out most strongly in Judith’s interview is the importance of representation. She spoke about encouraging more women to consider careers in the fire and rescue service and challenging outdated assumptions about the roles women can and should do. While progress has been made since this interview was first published, organisations across the UK are still working to improve gender diversity at every level.

The interview below offers an honest and inspiring insight into leadership, resilience and the importance of creating opportunities for future generations of women. Judith’s experiences remain a reminder that change often begins when someone is willing to be the first.

Kirklees Councillor Judith Hughes is no stranger to juggling work with motherhood. But as the first ever female Chair of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority, she now divides her time between the boardroom and her two grandchildren. Here she explains how she is championing the female voice within the fire and rescue service.

Cllr Judith Hughes Working Mum Interview

Cllr Judith Hughes the first female Chair of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority talks about why women are a force to be reckoned with.

“On my first day at the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority six years ago, I sat in the conference room and looked up at all the men’s faces on the walls – photographs of former chief fire officers,” explains Judith. “Then I looked across the table at all the men. I wondered to myself, what am I doing here? But three years later I became the first female chair of the authority and I can honestly say that I really enjoy it. I love a challenge.”

Judith cheekily describes the fire and rescue service as the “last bastion of white malehood”, but is quick to add that this is something which is now changing.

“I can see a huge difference in just three years. In the past, women in the fire and rescue service were sometimes reluctant to speak up. They are much more vocal now, which is fantastic. Women now have a voice – but I still want it to be even louder.”

London Fire Brigade recently appointed its first ever female commissioner and West Yorkshire now has almost 50 female firefighters – three of whom are station managers – with an abundance of talent waiting in the wings.

However, the only way the gender inequality will ever change in real terms is if more women join the ranks – something the West Yorkshire FRS has been trying to achieve in its latest recruitment campaign.

“It’s so important that our organisation is reflective of the community,” says Judith. “Women actually make up more of the community than men do, so we should be encouraging them to join from all parts of the community. Women are under-represented in the fire and rescue service across the country, but even more shocking is the lack of women from ethnic minority groups.’’

However, the push for more women to join has not been without criticism at times.

“There is a misconception that women are not strong enough or fit enough. This is just not true. If you are taking care of yourself and you are fit and healthy, it is not beyond you. I don’t think we have broken this barrier down yet.”

Judith refers to all the additional skills and qualities women can bring to the role, such as communication, patience, people skills. “There is no denying that we are different to men,” she says. “We bring different skills and strengths. I was chatting to some male firefighters recently and they asked why I was so keen to encourage more women into the service. I explained the service should be more reflective of the communities in which we operate, which brings more understanding about the residents we protect. One of the men said ‘yes, I suppose when we go on a ‘shout’ women are good at comforting people’. My reply was ‘so you are telling me women have additional skills then?“

“There are those who feel resentful of the fact we are actively encouraging women to join, but I want to explain why this is so important. Traditionally, men have often been encouraged to become a firefighter, either by a friend or relative , sometimes by serving firefighters themselves. Women have never had that. The female firefighters who feature in our publicity campaign are taking over that role of the friend who is encouraging them to join.”

Judith is also keen to emphasise the fact that West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service does not have any targets for recruiting under-represented groups, such as women. Any positive action taken is simply to lead them to the starting blocks of applying. Once the application process has started, everyone is treated equally. “If you were in a race and your lane was full of obstacles and the person you were racing against didn’t have those obstacles, who would be the winner? We are just removing those obstacles so that it is a fair race,” she explains.

It is clear that gender equality is something Judith feels passionately about and something she will continue to fight for. As the first ever female vice chair of AMFRA (the Association of Metropolitan Fire and Rescue Authorities) this is a fight she is taking nationally too. “From the moment I joined the Authority, I was keen to understand the organisation,” she says. “I have visited many stations around West Yorkshire and met the firefighters. I think it’s important I understand what I’m chairing. Otherwise how can you scrutinise and make changes?”

So what motivates her? “My granddaughter Layla does inspire me,” she says. “I had my daughter at a young age and I was a single parent. I knew the only way to provide for my daughter was to go back into education so that I could earn a decent wage. I completed an access course at Kirklees College, then went onto graduate with a history degree from Manchester Metropolitan University. It was difficult being a single mother, studying and working part time, but I wanted to make my daughter proud of me and provide for her the best I could. Once she left home, that incentive was gone and I felt a bit lost, but now I have two grandchildren and I want my granddaughter to grow up with strong female role models and know that she can achieve anything she wants in life.

“I worked in financial services and it was difficult juggling full time work and being a single parent. At 14 my daughter became seriously ill and I had to take a step back from my career for a couple of years, but the company where I worked was quite flexible. After the financial services industry crashed I decided I needed a new focus. I had been a union representative for the previous six years, fighting for employees’ rights, and I enjoyed helping and making a difference to people’s lives. When the chance to become a councillor came my way I took the opportunity. It is a challenging role attending meetings and events, being on call 24/7, but the feeling you get when you can and do help someone is very rewarding.

“I have always unintentionally been the first female in my past roles, such as when I became the first female customer services manager at my company, then I was the first female regional manager. Now I am the first ever female Chair of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority and I am now first female Vice Chair of AMFRA.

“I’ve always thought ‘I could never do that, they must be better than me!’ But when you do get an opportunity, grab it with both hands, because we all have something to give and we are all as good as each other.’

# Cllr Judith Hughes Working Mum Interview