Scandal of £40,000 expenses bill run up just SIX coppers on hard-up force that slashed bobbies
Bosses racked up huge bill on luxury travel and hotels
A POLICE force that lost nearly one-fifth of its officers due to cuts has splashed out thousands of pounds on first class travel and expensive hotels for its top bosses.
The six highest ranking officers claimed nearly £40,000 in expenses last year, including a huge £9,200 hospitality bill.
While rank-and-file officers faced sweeping redundancies, the top brass at West Midlands Police travelled around in luxury – all at the taxpayers’ expense.
Hard-working Brits picked up a massive £308.33 bill for a one night hotel stay in London for Chief Constable Chris Sims.
And they also forked out £30 so he could kick back in an executive lounge at Heathrow Airport prior to flying to Boston in America to address a public safety conference.
Mr Sims, who retired from West Midlands Police in January, also claimed for 32 first class train journeys in 2015, with each ticket costing the taxpayer an average of £225.
And despite our research showing flights are available for a third of the price, Mr Sims claimed £450.96 for a flight from Birmingham to Edinburgh to attend a national police memorial event.
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Harry Davis, campaign manager at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Hard pressed taxpayers will rightly be appalled that so much of their cash is going on cosy travelling arrangements for police bosses.
“Of course there are times when long distance travelling will be required for meetings or conferences but with modern communications available, many journeys are now increasingly unnecessary.
“At a time when the public sector should be looking for necessary savings, local residents have every right to ask why they were billed for the most expensive journeys when cheaper alternatives will have been available.”
Mr Sims was appointed chief constable of England’s second largest police force in 2009 and oversaw cuts of £125million that saw 1,600 officers lose their jobs.
When he left he was on a salary of £195,300, plus an extra £3,000 allowance for vehicle provision.
He is now reportedly earning £1,000 a day in a new part-time role as an advisor for the National Police Chiefs Council.
His successor Chief Constable David Thompson, who started the job in January, has been no less frugal when it comes to expenses.
In his first two months in office he made six first class rail journeys. These included a trip from Birmingham to London that cost the taxpayer £237.35 and two trips between Stockport and London costing £236.86 and £238.16.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “Clearly, at a time of financial restraint, we are conscious that expenditure has to be justified and, within the context of international operations and criminal inquiries, both necessary and proportionate.
“There are occasions where first class tickets are purchased and these are either because they are actually a cheaper option or there may be a need for important work to take place during that travel time which requires some level privacy.
“The cheapest option for hotel accommodation is always preferred, unless operational needs dictate otherwise.
“On occasion this may mean short notice bookings have to be made and therefore budget choices are not always available.”
He added the executive lounge at Heathrow Airport was used by Mr Sims “as a security precaution following advice”.
And said that organisers of the event picked up his £715 flights and £180-a-night hotel bill.
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