Recruitment begins for top roles in new national police and fire services

THE search has been launched for key officials who will be in charge of holding the new national fire and police services to account.

The Scottish Government is advertising for the chairman of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) and Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), which are being formed after mergers agreed at Holyrood last week.

The SPA will have a budget of about £1.4 billion a year and will be responsible for appointing more than 17,000 constables and 7,000 support staff.

The chairman will be paid £450 a day, which is likely to amount to £108,000 for the first year and £54,000 subsequently.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said: “They will help transform two of Scotland’s most important public services, providing strong and effective leadership to deliver the key benefits of reform - protecting frontline services by reducing unnecessary duplication, ensuring more equal access to specialist support and national capacity, and strengthening the connection between the services and communities they serve.”