A police chief constable on a £170,000-a-year salary has asked to retire for a single day – before being reappointed to her role – to protect her pension.
North Wales Police Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman will “retire” on 15 January and be “re-hired” on 17 January if the process is approved.
The move is legitimate under the national Retire and Rehire Scheme and will prevent her pension pot reducing. It matures after 30 years’ service but reduces for each consecutive year of additional service. By enforcing a break, it will be frozen at its maximum amount.
Figures from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner North Wales show she was paid £169,598 for the 2023-2024 financial year.
During the one-day break, Deputy Chief Constable Nigel Harrison will step into her role, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.
According to the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner North Wales, there will be no disruption to the police force’s day-to-day operations.
Last year, the Chief Constable of West Midlands Police, Craig Guildford, retired for a month using the same scheme to protect his pension.
Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin has approved Ms Blakeman’s request, subject to the approval of the Police and Crime Panel.
“I have agreed to put forward Chief Constable Blakeman’s request to enter into the national Retire and Rehire Scheme,” he said.
“The widely-used scheme is in accordance with updated guidance from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, and the College of Policing.
“It is important to emphasise that this will come at no cost to the taxpayer and there will be no break in leadership at the head of North Wales Police.”
He added: “Chief Constable Blakeman and I, alongside all the chief officers of North Wales Police, remain as committed as ever to ensuring that our region is the safest and most secure place in the United Kingdom.”