Crime tsars looking at legality of payments to officers

A NUMBER of police and crime commissioners across the country are now investigating the legal basis for pay and perks provided to chief police officers, with some looking at whether efforts can be made to recover money essentially paid in error.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Sep 2013, 01:01 BST

North Yorkshire police and crime commissioner (PCC) Julia Mulligan called for a national review involving commissioners and Parliament as well as a local review that she has begun.

She said: “If commissioners had one concrete set of principles and parameters, then many of these problems would be overcome very quickly.

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“At North Yorkshire, in particular, I have commissioned an in- depth review of the payments that were made to chief officers over the last number of years.

“When that report is delivered, which should be in about six weeks, we can then take a mature view of what steps we need to take to recover those payments if possible.”

Essex PCC Nick Alston has also called for a national review while carrying out his own internal review into the legal basis of payments and whether any can be recovered.

Surrey PCC Keith Hurley is also reviewing pay and perks provided to chief officers, which include a “fuel card” allowing for up to £400 to be spent on fuel a month including personal mileage, up to £250 a month for private medical and dental insurance including for family members and provision of a mobile phone with all personal calls paid for.

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Mr Hurley told the Yorkshire Post: “The review – which is currently underway – is considering the legal standing of the pay and benefits package for Surrey’s Chief Constable, along with its suitability to attract candidates of the right calibre.”

Others have been more reticent, including David Lloyd, PCC for Hertfordshire, where chief officers are provided with an allowance that equates to 10 per cent of salary.

A spokeswoman said: “The current position is that our Police 
and Crime Commissioner is aware of this issue and the matter is being looked into, including in consultation with the Police and Crime Commissioners’ Chief Executives nationally.”

It was “too early” to comment further, she added.

Cambridgeshire’s chief officers are receiving a similar allowance equating to 9.2 per cent of salary but when local PCC Sir Graham Bright was asked under what legal authority the payment was being made a spokeswoman said it would “inappropriate to comment”.