The deputy governor of a prison could be given a £55,000-a-year role as second-in-command to the Essex Police and Crime Commissioner.

Nick Alston, who was elected commissioner in November, has nominated Lindsay Whitehouse, who currently works at Chelmsford jail, as his deputy.

The nomination will go before the police and crime panel on Thursday.

Mr Alston said: “Over the past few months I have become increasingly sure that I need a deputy to help me carry out effective scrutiny of Essex Police and to drive community crime reduction work across Essex.

“Since December, my office has been carrying out a review to scope the role requirement and the work that the deputy will do.

“In keeping with my desire to be open and transparent and uphold the highest integrity that this office requires, I openly advertised the position and I attached no party political requirements.

“I was very pleased to receive a number of applications and held two rounds of interviews of selected candidates with a panel of assessors.”

He said Mr Whitehouse had “considerable practical expertise both in the criminal justice sphere and in managing large budgets efficiently and effectively.”

Mr Whitehouse said: “I am encouraged by the potential that this new role has in bringing real scrutiny to the performance and finances of our police service and crime prevention schemes.

“My experience in public and private service has given me wide experience of dealing with new and difficult challenges.

“I approach the role with an aspiration to make Essex safer for us all and uphold the highest levels of integrity that the commissioner has set.

“I also bring a determination to promote the interests of victims of crime and to support victims in any way that I can.”