Following criticism from Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen about recruitment to our vacant Assistant Chief Executive post, I wanted to make some clarifications: (1/5)

The Assistant Chief Executive post has existed since 2016 and is not a new role. It is one of only three senior posts in my office paid over £50k. This compares to 15 posts in the Tees Valley Combined Authority. (2/5)

'Jobs for the boys' is language that has no place in today’s society and ignores that the previous two incumbents have been exceptional public servants who were women. It fails to acknowledge the open and transparent recruitment process we held - which is still ongoing. (3/5)

Mr Houchen is not a fan of bureaucracy - yet between 2016/17 and 2020/21 the cost of staffing for TCVA has increased from £1.5m to £3.9m.

Through effective collaboration, the cost of staffing in my Office over the same period has reduced from £658,000 to £653,00. (4/5)

I've written to the Chair and members of the Police and Crime Panel to make these clarifications and highlight Mr Houchen's poor choice of language.

Read my full statement here: https://www.cleveland.pcc.police.uk/News-and-Events/News-Archive/2020/Research-exposes-staggering-expansion-of-senior-management-at-Tees-Valley-Combined-Authority.aspx (5/5)