£82,000 salary for Katy Bourne’s chief executive

Members at the meeting at County Hall, Lewes on April 4 will also be asked to confirm the appointment of John Eagles as the chief finance officer at £77,000 a year.

It brings the number of people employed by the office of the Police Crime Commissioner to 13, including Mrs Bourne on £85,000 and her new deputy Steve Waight on £45,000 a year, appointed in February this year.

The Sussex Police Crime Panel’s role is to review and endorse the Commissioner’s Police & Crime Plan, scrutinise key strategic decisions, and review senior appointments.

Prior to the appointment of Mr Waight as deputy PCC, the panel had taken the decision to publicly state he was a candidate they did not endorse.

However, lacking the power of veto, Mrs Bourne made the appointment regardless, discounting the panel’s stated concerns that Mr Waight ‘would not be able to devote enough time to this demanding job, given his commitment to other local authorities’.

The panel is made up of representatives from all of the local authorities in the policing area, plus two independent members.

The meeting next Thursday will be webcast at www.eastsussex.gov.uk.

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