Does new West Mercia Police boss need a £50,000-a-year deputy?

10:48am Tuesday 4th December 2012 in Worcester

Does new police boss need a £50,000-a-year deputy? Does new police boss need a £50,000-a-year deputy?

MANY will be dismayed that our new police and crime commissioner Bill Longmore wants to hire a deputy on £50,000 a year.

There will also be disquiet that the man he wants for the job is a personal friend who was his publicity manager during his election campaign.

After all, we were told police commissioners would reduce bureaucracy and the cost of running our police forces.

Critics will point out that the combined salaries of Mr Longmore – himself on £75,000 a year – and his sidekick would pay the wages of up to six bobbies.

He is not alone in making such an appointment. It is reported that up to 12 police commissioners around the country have appointed deputies on salaries of up to £68,000.

As if the role were not mired in enough controversy, this appointment is certain to draw accusations of cronyism.

Voters were, after all, deeply sceptical about the value of having police commissioners, let alone unelected deputies.

Turnout at the recent elections for the post were a dismal 14 per cent – local council elections would normally expect a turnout of about 30 per cent.

Hardly a ringing endorsement of one of the most important policing shake-ups for decades. This latest turn of events will only create yet more disillusionment with the political process.

'Disgrace' of £50,000 deputy

Comments(16)

Respectable says...
11:14am Tue 4 Dec 12

Did I blink and miss the winter ?
Is it April 1st ?
When the Deputy decides he needs a PA and admin support team just how many none operational, none value adding leeches will there be sucking the life blood out of West Mercia's already stretched budget ?
What an absolute joke / disgrace.

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Arthur Blenkinsop says...
11:26am Tue 4 Dec 12

'Jobs for the boys' comes to mind.

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Respectable says...
11:27am Tue 4 Dec 12

If you Google Search Bill Longmore and read his pre-election manifesto there is absolutely no reference to a Deputy..

Shocked that the taxpayer will be funding something they never voted for AGAIN..Jobs for the boys or what !

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skychip says...
11:39am Tue 4 Dec 12

Criminal but as usual no-one will be answerable for it. Knew this would happen although no mention beforehand. Morale in the Police force must be so low knowing this money could have been used for more police officers.

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broadwas says...
12:04pm Tue 4 Dec 12

If he was so right for the job why, oh why, does he need a deputy so soon? Still have not seen a job description for either post.....

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Give Up! says...
1:28pm Tue 4 Dec 12

If this makes you mad, wait until he appoints his Chief Exec with a paygrade of around £100,000 and his Finance Director on a similar Salary to his own. Its all on his PCC website... and they are meant to represent the public. The previous Police Authority was made up mainly of councillors on a councillors salary. Its been driven through by the Tories following the advice of the former rail regulator Tom Winsor, Cameron listened to that review because it suited. The Leveson report doesn't suit.. so we wont have that..!! Cameron could have saved a public fortune and written the reviews himself as if they dont agree with his opinion they wont happen...”

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Doogie 46 says...
2:04pm Tue 4 Dec 12

Surely it should have been a two part voting paper for both the Commisioner and his deputy.
Mr Longmore should NOT have the power to give this position to a crony.
Makes you wonder just how big his "team" will be and how much it will cost once he is up and running.

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Give Up! says...
2:29pm Tue 4 Dec 12

I dont understand how the Chief Executive who he has appointed, David Brierley can be on between £90,000 and £106,000 p.a. It is more than the salary of the PCC themselves....???”

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zx12r says...
4:33pm Tue 4 Dec 12

Pigs, snouts, trough.

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Rob Peachey says...
5:14pm Tue 4 Dec 12

As an ex-councillor and ex-member of the Police Authority I could never understand why how one man could replace 17 Authority members selected from ALL areas of the Authority bringing their knowledge to bear on the delivery of Police Services that their residents required. This assistant's post was never publically advertised and appears to be cronyism par excellence

Rob Peachey

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MakeUthink says...
5:33pm Tue 4 Dec 12

I agree with all the above comments. when/if I meet Longmore, the 'Political' Crime Commissioner face-to-face, I will tell him what I think of him - which is not very much. Disgraceful business and it should be opposed and blocked - if that is humanly possible. I'd rather see extra PC on the beat.

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MakeUthink says...
5:34pm Tue 4 Dec 12

I agree with all the above comments. when/if I meet Longmore, the 'Political' Crime Commissioner face-to-face, I will tell him what I think of him - which is not very much. Disgraceful business and it should be opposed and blocked - if that is humanly possible. I'd rather see extra PC on the beat.

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Bill Chapman says...
5:51pm Tue 4 Dec 12

You're lucky in West Mercia. In North Wales our Police and Crime Commissioner, who sees the job as a part-time one, will be appointing a Chief Executive on £75,000 per annum. There was no mention of this in the initial election literature.

I'd like to see these posts abolished. If David Cameron had any courage he would admit it was all a costly mistake.

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ctpulley says...
8:22pm Tue 4 Dec 12

If he can't cope on his own, perhaps he should resign.
He is obviously not "Man" enough for the job.

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Respectable says...
7:59am Wed 5 Dec 12

This is just an extension of what is already going on. Currently serving police officers retiring on a full pension after 30 years service are pretty much the only ones being interviewed and offered civilian staff jobs within the force . A complete and utter monopoly on the service. What about creating jobs and offering opportunities to the masses.. Surely if your on a FULL police pension you should not need to be taking the few jobs that exist. There are people out there trying to get onto the property ladder and support their families and these greedy so and so's are given a complete priority

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Yellowbear says...
3:48pm Thu 6 Dec 12

I wasn't in favour of these commissioners but felt I ought to vote and also that voting for an ex police officer unattached to any political party would be the best option. Well what a plonker I am. More snouts in the trough.

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