The Mayor of South Yorkshire and current Police and Crime Commissioner has suggested that the county’s former PCC apologises for an accounting error that left a £65m hole in South Yorkshire Police’s finances.

Dr Alan Billings, South Yorkshire’s former PCC, clashed with mayor Oliver Coppard during a meeting of the police and crime panel on Monday.

It led to Mr Coppard suggesting that Dr Billings apologise for the error.

Dr Billings, who served as PCC for 10 years, expressed concern over the removal of his foreword from an annual report. He asked the current PCC, Mr Coppard, why his foreword was not included.

Dr Billings submitted a question to the police and crime panel meeting on December 9, asking why his foreword to a report had been removed.

In response, Mr Coppard expressed surprise at the inquiry, stating, “I’m slightly surprised by the question.

“It’s clear to me that the former Police and Crime Commissioner seems to be struggling a little bit with the transition to his new role. But let me make [it] clear — I am now responsible for the functions of the Police and Crime Commissioner, and therefore it is right that I put the the foreword into my own words, as that has been published by the organisation.”

Mr Coppard went on to suggest that Dr Billings could share his original foreword through other means, such as his personal social media channels.

He alluded to the £65m ‘accounting error’ that had been discovered after he took on the PCC role, under his powers as mayor, earlier this year.

“All I would say is, if the former Police and Crime Commissioner is going to make some public announcement, I would gently suggest that it might want to include an apology for the financial state which we found when we took over the office,” Mr Coppard added.

The error is currently being investigated.