Police and Crime Commissioner Adam Simmonds axes assistants

Adam Simmonds said the reconfiguration of the staff structure was "working well"

Two senior members of Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner Adam Simmonds' staff will not be replaced, saving £114,000, the force has said.

Assistant commissioners Peter Heaton and John Raisin announced they would be stepping down in June.

Liberal Democrat Brendan Glynane said Mr Simmonds' £1.12m staff costs were always too large, and the saving "is not going to wash with people".

A spokesman for Mr Simmonds said the changes were "working well".

Mr Heaton, who was involved in Conservative Mr Simmonds' successful election campaign in 2012, held the public involvement brief.

Mr Raisin held the policy and resources brief.

Money 'wasted'

Northamptonshire Police said both posts had been subject to contractual notice periods and had been made redundant.

A Freedom of Information request by the BBC last month revealed Mr Simmonds' then 17-strong team cost £1.12m.

The old police authority cost £694,599.

The cost of the PCC's staff has been criticised

Mr Glynane, Northamptonshire County Council member for Delapre and Rushmere, who was part of a police and crime panel, said "far too much money had been wasted" on staff and the money "should never have been spent in the first place".

He added he felt the writing was on the wall for police and crime commissioners.

Asked if he felt money could be better spent on front-line services rather than the commissioner's staff, Chief Constable Adrian Lee said: "What I want is a commissioner who is contributing to policing, involving a whole range of people who play a part in making this county safer.

"I'm very satisfied that is what is happening."

He said the cost of the communications team, which had been moved to the commissioner's offices, had contributed to the increase in the budget.

A spokesman for Mr Simmonds said: "We adapted our structure and operating model, including the changes around these two posts, and made public those changes. These changes are working well."