LevellerLive

I hesitate to attribute cause and effect without good reason. However it is remarkable that barely a couple of days after our article criticising Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens for the delays in taking appropriate action to dismiss Chief Constable Nick Gargan, Mr Gargan has handed in his resignation.

This morning we received a press release stating “Avon and Somerset Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens has today accepted the resignation of Chief Constable Nick Gargan with immediate effect. Mr Gargan will leave his position as the Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset with three-month’s salary in lieu of notice as the terms of his contract state.”

The PCC has agreed to pay Mr Gargan three-month’s salary in lieu of notice as the terms of his contract state. With holiday pay and housing allowance that means Gargan will receive just shy of £45,000 compensation.

Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens noted “This was not a decision I took lightly and I have considered it very carefully however in order to bring the legal proceedings to a close this is the most cost effective outcome. It also means that I can begin the process of recruiting a new Chief Constable as soon as possible and the organisation can move on.”

Given the mess that has been made of the process of dealing with the Chief Constable thus far, this was almost certainly the right decision.