A public official in Somerset is set to earn nearly £80,000 for just nine months' work.

The Office of Police and Crime Commissioner oversees the way policing is carried out in the Avon and Somerset area, including how its annual budget is spent.

The current commissioner Sue Mountstevens – who has been in post since 2012 – has recommended a new interim chief executive to oversee the day-to-day running of her office.

The successful candidate will only be in post for nine months before a permanent replacement is hired – but he will earn nearly £80,000 during this time.

Mark Simmonds' appointment as interim chief executive was confirmed after a meeting of the Avon and Somerset police and crime panel in Taunton on Wednesday morning (January 8).

His predecessor as chief executive, John Smith, resigned on October 9, 2019.

Five candidates to replace him – three men and two women – were originally shortlisted for the role, but none were deemed to be suitable following the interview process.

Ms Mountstevens told the panel: "If you had taken bits out of all of them, we would have had a very good interim CEO.

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"I have great faith in Mark Simmonds' ability to do this role."

Mr Simmonds will fill the role for nine months to allow the new police and crime commissioner – who will be elected in May – to appoint a permanent replacement.

Ms Mountstevens has already indicated that she will not be standing for a third term.

According to the official job description, a full-time chief executive for the police and crime commissioner's office can expect to earn £105,849 per year.

Since Mr Simmonds will be in place for nine months only, he will earn three-quarters of this amount – £79,386.75 when calculated on a pro rata basis.

The job involves directly supporting Ms Mountstevens and delivering her priorities, as well as engaging with officers and scrutinising the wider work of the police force.

Panel chairman Richard Brown endorsed Mr Simmonds' appointment in a letter to Ms Mountstevens following the meeting in Taunton.

He said: "Given the proximity of the next police and crime commissioner elections, we understand the rationale for advertising the position on an interim basis.

"The panel was unanimous in concluding that he [Mr Simmonds] satisfies both requirements [of the role].

"We look forward to working with him in the months ahead."