A ROW has broken out over plans to appoint a deputy police and crime commissioner in West Yorkshire.
Mark Burns-Williams, who was elected last year, has confirmed he plans to take on a Number Two – but insists it must be a Labour supporter.
Applications are being invited from Labour Party members.
Mr Burns Williamson, who is paid £100,000 a year, is seeking a deputy on a salary of £52,995 to £56,571.
He said: “The Government when introducing Police and Crime Commissioners set up the role of deputy to allow a commissioner to have someone to help them who shared their values, and those of the people that elected them.
“I will be appointing a deputy through a process which allowed anyone who is a Labour Party member across West Yorkshire to express an interest, and I will be interviewing and appointing an individual after a rigorous interview.”
But councillors sitting on a panel which oversees the office are angry.
One, Alison Lowe, of Leeds, said: “I would rather the money is spent recruiting two or three extra police officers.”
She added: “The people of West Yorkshire are entitled to the best. How do you know you are getting the best person for the job when you are restricting the recruitment to one political party? The fact that you can appoint anybody you like doesn’t mean you should.”
Mr Burns Williamson said: “Other police and crime commissioners have used the same process as the one as I am using, and I am clear that I will be drawing on those with relevant knowledge and expertise to assist me to get the right person in place to help me to defend and protect the communities of West Yorkshire.
“The cost will be less overall than the previous Police Authority officers”.
