Grampian Police Board decided yesterday not to pay a #3000 legal bill which Chief Constable Ian Oliver ran up seeking advice on how to fight moves by the board to force him to retire, writes Graeme Smith.
As revealed by The Herald, lawyers representing Dr Oliver, submitted a claim for work during the week which started with a vote of no confidence in Dr Oliver and Scottish Secretary Donald Dewar urging him to ''pack his bags and go'' and ended with his retirement decision. Dr Oliver eventually decided to retire from May 24,
Yesterday, meeting in private, the board decided not to pay his lawyer's bill. After the meeting, board chairman Pat Chalmers said: ''The board received legal advice to the effect it had no obligation to pay the costs of Dr Oliver's lawyers and it determined, given that advice, it would not pay Dr Oliver's costs.''
There are standard procedures for the board considering cases for financial assistance to police officers, normally when they are accused of criminal offences in the course of their duty.
There is also provision in the 1967 Police Scotland Act that if a board has taken steps to require a chief constable, deputy chief constable or assistant chief constable to retire in the interests of efficiency and the Secretary of State holds an inquiry, there is an obligation to pay the individual's expenses in the majority of circumstances.
At the start of the meeting, Tory Councillor Jack Dempsey referred to The Herald's revelation last week and said he was ''simply appalled'' to find these matters had found their way into the public domain.
He said: ''We feel absolute idiots as councillors being asked to give comments on this. Everyone seems to know about it. It's simply not good enough.''
Mr Chalmers said he did not think there was anything legally they could do and was backed by the clerk to the board, Mr Crawford Langley.
Mr Chalmers said they would note Mr Dempsey's justifiable concern and Mr Langley was asked to report any suggestions which might help the situation.
Grampian's new chief constable, Mr Andrew Brown, who is with Lothian and Borders and takes over on June 1, attended yesterday's meeting as an observer.
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