AT a pro-rata rate of at least £78,000 a year, it’s not a bad job to hang your hat on in these austere times.

But that’s exactly what police and crime commissioner Bill Longmore is offering six people – a salary of at least £1,500 for just four or five days work a year.

A new audit committee is being created to act as a watchdog for the spending of West Mercia Police and its counterparts in Warwickshire. The roles, which are now being advertised, offer an allowance of £1,800 for a chairman and £1,500 for five assistants, plus expenses.

But each position requires just four or five days worth of input per year – compared to the typical district councillor in Worcester who gets £3,900-a-year for being on duty seven days a week.

Critics of the commissioner have labelled the allowances over the top and want them to be reduced.

Councillor Peter McDonald, leader of Worcestershire County Council’s Labour group, said: “He’s making all these cuts to the police and at the same time we’re forking out thousands for an audit committee which will hardly ever meet.

“He’s financially losing his marbles. Many people sit on other audit committees on councils just for expenses. This money should go on the police.

“You could probably offer the roles for next to nothing and there’d be five or six decent candidates who would enjoy the responsibility.”

The committee will be working closely with Mr Longmore and Ron Ball, the commissioner for Warwickshire Police.

It will be tasked with giving them advice on finances, but will not to able to overturn any decisions each police boss makes.

Mr Longmore said the roles are very important and that the allowances reflect the fact that each possible candidate will need experience in finance, audit or risk management.

“Ron Ball and I, as well as the two chief constables of our respective police forces, look forward to working with the new audit committee which has a very important role to play in our organisations,” he said.

“I urge people with the experience and knowledge needed to apply without delay.”

As your Worcester News first revealed in February, West Mercia Police is closing up to 11 force bases and relocating another 19 to save about £1.5 million.

The force is making cuts of £20m in total with 140 police officer jobs axed to make up the bulk of the savings.

Applications for the audit committee roles are being invited before Monday, April 15. For more details, log on to westmercia-pcc.gov.uk.or call 01743 264690.