‘Yoga days’ police chief seeking top Scots post
THE boss of an English police force who introduced ‘yoga days’ for officers to boost ‘spiritual wellbeing’ has applied to be Scotland’s next Chief Constable.
Bill Skelly, head of Lincolnshire Police and a former senior officer north of the Border, emerged yesterday as a contender for the top job at Police Scotland, which has a salary of £216,549.
The successful applicant will take over following a row over former chief, Phil Gormley, who quit earlier this year amid bullying allegations.
Mr Skelly, 51, originally from Auchterhouse, Angus, was unsuccessful when he was interviewed for the post in 2015.
Police Scotland Interim Chief Constable Iain Livingstone has also applied for the post.
Mr Skelly was previously a Deputy Chief Constable in Lothian and Borders – Mr Livingstone’s former force – and was also Scotland’s HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary.
In Lincolnshire, he has been criticised for giving stressed officers two extra ‘yoga days’ leave a year to bolster their ‘spiritual wellbeing’.
The rest days will result in the force, which has 1,800 officers, losing the equivalent of 15 staff a year.
Defending the move earlier this year, Mr Skelly said: ‘By encouraging our staff to take time to look after themselves, I believe we can make an improvement to how they feel at work. We hope this will help to reduce sickness and improve levels of resilience.’
Mr Skelly, who is married with two daughters, enjoys hillwalking and cycling. Last year, he cycled from Edinburgh to London.
Meanwhile, Mr Livingstone, also 51, has applied for the top job – after saying earlier this month he would have to consult his wife.
He cancelled his retirement plans last year to take temporary charge of the force, winning the confidence of Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and Scottish Police Authority (SPA) chairman Professor Susan Deacon.
The deadline for applications for the Chief Constable’s job is at noon today.
Mr Skelly and Mr Livingstone are the only candidates whose names have come to light so far during the recruitment process.
When the post was advertised last month, Professor Deacon said the SPA was ‘looking for an exceptional and outstanding leader to take on this key leadership role’.
Sources confirmed Mr Skelly and Mr Livingstone have applied for the job. Police Scotland, the SPA and Lincolnshire Police all declined to comment.