Full-time chief exec for Staffs police

Staffordshire Police Authority is to replace its part-time chief executive with a full-time position attracting a salary of £80,000.

Bosses at the authority, which oversees the police force, said the move was designed to deliver savings for the taxpayer in the long-term.

Current boss Alan Wallis, aged 63, is planning to retire in the autumn and is only paid for two and a half days work a week, earning approximately £60,000 a year with a £115,000 pro rata salary.

His replacement will be expected to work 37 hours a week and earn £80,000 a year.

Police Authority Chairman David Pearsall said the aim was to save the taxpayer money.

He said: "We are talking about a full-time chief executive and what the authority has said is that this person will be given a specific budget for the secretariat staff and will have to keep to that budget."

He said the full-time deputy chief executive may switch to part-time.

Staffordshire Police Authority is the independent body that oversees and scrutinises the work of Staffordshire Police.

It has 17 members, nine of whom are councillors and eight independent members. The primary job of the authority is to monitor, review and evaluate the force's performance and to hold the Chief Constable to account.

The Police Authority's other responsibilities also include holding the purse strings for the force, setting the police element of council tax and monitoring the Force's spending.

Mr Wallis, aged 63, who has held the post since 2007 said: "I have loved every moment of my time with Staffordshire Police Authority, latterly as chief executive, through a period of significant change. It has been challenging but exceptionally rewarding."