Police & Crime Commissioner candidates have united in their criticism of an advertised job at Northamptonshire Police with a salary of up to £76,000 a year.
The force has advertised nationally this week for a ‘head of service transformation’. It comes with a salary of up to £76,000 plus pension costs, which is likely to be more than the county’s new PCC will earn once elected.
The advertisement, which has a closing date for applications is November 19, just three days before the commissioner will take office, explains the person will be “accountable for strategic assessment and enhancement”.
They will “explore, understand and interpret our performance” and manage key strategic relationships, “including those with the Police and Crime Commissioner”.
Conservative PCC hopeful Adam Simmonds said: “It is beyond belief that this job is being created at this time. We are just a few days away from the elections for Police and Crime Commissioner. Whoever is elected is likely to want to determine what management structure they think best.
“I am frankly amazed that a police force with one of the highest ratios of managers to front line police officers in the country should be doing this at a time when at least £4 million needs to be saved this year.”
Paul Varnsverry said: “As the closing date for applications falls between election day and the date upon which the PCC officially takes office it would be unwise for any interviews to be arranged or for the position to be filled before the new PCC has had an opportunity to ask questions about the need to fill the vacancy.
“The new PCC should be afforded the opportunity to review the staffing structure, to ensure vacant posts are only filled where absolutely necessary, with any savings used to fund additional frontline policing.”
UKIP candidate Jim MacArthur added: “I think it is very unwise of them to be advertising such a post at this time. Particularly as they are not warning applicants for it that the incoming PCC might not want such a post established.
“I note November 19 is the cut off point for applications, which means any interviews would have to commence the following week, which is the week the new PCC takes over.
“If I am the new PCC, I will want to assure myself firstly that the post is one that is actually needed and secondly, even if it is, that I want to pay someone more money than I am being paid as PCC to fill it.”
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