West Midlands Police Commissioner expands team to £291,000
Police Commissioner Bob Jones today revealed he is to appoint six more assistants, creating a wage bill for his team of almost £300,000-a-year.
The West Midlands chief has already taken on his deputy Yvonne Mosquito, paying her £65,000 a year.
Now he is to employ three Assistant Police and Crime Commissioners, who will earn £22,500 a year for working up to 10 days a month, and three non-executive members at £7,500 for two days a month.
He also revealed today he wants to increase the policing element of council tax bills from £99.45 to £102.43 a year for a B and D property, equivalent to just over 5p a week more.
He today defended the appointments, which will be dubbed the Strategic Policing and Crime Board, insisting: This is a good deal for the people of the West Midlands. I am not going to be able to get out to every meeting myself. They will be my representative in their respective areas."
And Mr Jones claimed the rise in council tax would release 100 officers to operational frontline duties.
The salaries of Mr Jones and his seven colleagues will be £291,895 - £40,000 less than the annual £332,800 bill for the 17-strong West Midland Police Authority whose work will now be covered by the new Board.
Assistant Crime Commissioners will each cover specific areas with one being responsible for Walsall and Wolverhampton, another Dudley and Sandwell and the third handling Coventry and Solihull. Yvonne Mosquito has responsibility for Birmingham.
Mr Jones said the Board would be a leaner governing body than the comparable London Mayor's office and insisted that its creation was in line with his election pledge of cutting costs. He promised the selection process would be "objective, fair and open".
By John Scott
