Temporary West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner appointed

Yvonne Mosquito, the force's deputy PCC, was formally appointed to take the reins until a by-election on August 21.

It comes following the sudden death of Mr Jones, aged 59, earlier this month.

Councillors and lay members of the West Midlands Police and Crime Panel have criticised the timing of the by-election, which was called three days after Mr Jones passed away in his sleep.

At a meeting of the panel at Dudley Council House they paid tribute to Mr Jones and also called on the Home Office to revise a 35-working-day limit on holding the by-election following formal notification of a commissioner's death.

Mr Jones was elected in 2012 as part of a wave of newly created police and crime commissioners with the power to hire and fire chief constables and set force budgets.

But the Labour commissioner was also the first person to die in office, sparking concern over the legislation and the timescales required.

Councillors on the panel say holding an election in August risks an even lower turnout than the 12 per cent who voted in November 2012 when the position was created.

Councillor Mosquito, who represents Birmingham's Nechells ward, was the only person put forward to take the post temporarily.

She said: "If I had a choice between being here today or still having Bob, I would have preferred to have had Bob."

The by-election was triggered by two members of the public formally requesting it within three days of Mr Jones' death.

One of the electors was Mike Rumble, a member of UKIP, who previously stood against Mr Jones as an independent in the 2012 election.

Councillor Darren Cooper, chairman of the panel and leader of Sandwell Council, said: "Calling a by-election before a funeral has taken place is cheap, political opportunism."

Mr Rumble has previously said he was alerting the returning officer of his responsibilities under the legislation.