Third police chief says no to bonus

Meredydd Hughes, who leads South Yorkshire Police, has followed his fellow chief constables in North Yorkshire and Humberside in deciding to forego his cash incentive and use the money to bolster front-line operations.

Unlike North Yorkshire chief Grahame Maxwell and Humberside chief Tim Hollis, however, Mr Hughes has defended the right of other senior officers in South Yorkshire to seek bonuses for their contribution to the force's "outstanding performance".

Bonuses for West Yorkshire Police's command team are unlikely to be decided before the new year.

Pay for senior officers has come under close scrutiny after the Government announced plans to cut the policing budget by 20 per cent in real terms over the next four years.

A South Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "Performance-

related payments are a nationally agreed component of pay and conditions for a number of officers at superintendent and chief officer levels.

"Given the continued outstanding performance of the force over the year in question, such payments are undoubtedly merited under the terms of the current national pay structure.

"Whilst the Chief Constable has already indicated privately to South Yorkshire Police Authority his willingness to forego any such payment, he defends the right of his colleagues to receive their contracted pay levels.

"Any change to arrangements needs to be negotiated and agreed."