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Costs slashed by £110,000 for new police top team

The West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner has slashed £110,000 off the running of his office after appointing his first top team.

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Police and Crime Commissioner for the West Midlands, Simon Foster

Simon Foster, who succeeded David Jamieson after winning May's election, has appointed a new strategic crime board tasked with holding the force to account.

He has scrapped the deputy PCC role, last held by Waheed Saleem, and appointed two assistant PCCs, strategic advisor Tom McNeil on an annual salary of £60,000 and Smethwick councillor Wasim Ali on £50,000.

Birmingham councillor Nicky Brennan will serve as victims’ commissioner, with the board completed by Wolverhampton councillor and former PCSO Bhupinder Gakhal, policing expert Dr Cath Hannon and community activist Charmaine Burton.

The board will cost £160,000 a year to run, a drop of 40 per cent.

Mr Foster, said: "This is a dynamic, hard-working team that can help me deliver the priorities I have been elected upon.

"I have pledged to recruit 450 police officers and to place them in local communities across the West Midlands. I will also tackle violent crime and domestic abuse.

“The West Midlands faces big challenges over the coming years as we come out of the pandemic.

"My new team bring a wealth of experience which will help me deliver upon the public’s priorities to make the region safer and reduce crime."

The board is set to hold its first public meeting on July 20.

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