THE New West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner has vowed he will donate £5,000 of his £100,000 a year salary to help victims of crime.
Clr Mark Burns-Williamson will officially take office in the new elected top police job tomorrow, after beating his nearest rival, independent candidate and ex-policeman Cedric Christie at the polls last week.
He said he will also be stepping down from Wakefield Council – where he serves the Castleford ward – in the spring.
He has further pledged to not claim any councillor’s entitlement, which is currently around £12,00 a year, from now until he steps down as a councillor.
Mr Burns-Williamson, who has chaired the Police Authority for a decade, said: “The salary level has been set by a pay review body independently.
“I will set aside £5,000 for a separate account to support victims of crime.
“I will step down from the council in the spring. I want to do the right thing. To leave my post now would cause a by-election in the winter.
“I don’t want to make the same mistake the government has done with this election.”
Mr Burns-Williamson was referring to the government’s decision to hold last week’s stand-alone election in which only 13.8% of voters took part.
But despite the poor turnout Mr Burns-Williamson said he believed he had a mandate to take the new role.
The Labour man was elected to the job with 114,736 votes, beating Cedric Christie, who gained 71,876 votes.
Conservative Geraldine Carter and Lib Dem Andrew Marchington were eliminated after the first count, finishing third and fourth respectively.
Mr Burns-Williamson has pledged to increase the accountability of the force and increase ‘trust and transparency’.
As Police Crime Commissioner (PCC) for West Yorkshire, Mr Burns-Williamson will be responsible for the county’s policing plans and the budget.
He will also be responsible for appointing – and if necessary dismissing – the force’s chief constable.
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