New mayor makes her pick for policing deputy
MAYOR of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin has named a mental health charity chief as deputy mayor for policing.
The Labour mayor has picked Alison Lowe, chief executive of the Touchstone mental health charity, as her preferred candidate for the position.
Ms Lowe served as a Labour councillor for Armley on Leeds City Council for 29 years before stepping down in 2019.
She was the first black female councillor in the city when she was elected in 1990 and previously chaired West Yorkshire’s Police and Crime Panel, which oversees West Yorkshire Police.
The panel will decide whether to approve her appointment in a June 18 meeting. If Ms Lowe’s appointment is approved, she is expected to start in August.
“I am very proud to be put forward as the first Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime in West Yorkshire and share the Mayor’s determination that the voices of all our communities are heard,” she said.
“Making sure our communities are safe and inclusive is key to ensuring our region is one that delivers better lives for all and I am excited about getting to work on this important agenda.”
Mayor Ms Brabin said Ms Lowe had a ‘wealth of experience of policing and crime issues.’
“[She] is a passionate champion of inclusion and mental health which we both want to be at the core of policing in West Yorkshire,” the mayor said.
“I am looking forward to working with her to deliver my commitments to recruit more police officers and staff and to put keeping women and girls safe at the heart of my policing plan.”
Ms
Brabin will be advised by former West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson until Ms Lowe’s expected appointment.
The Mayor of West Yorkshire role absorbed the powers of the Police and Crime Commissioner position when Ms Brabin was elected on Sunday.
“Having worked with Alison previously she is a great choice to take on the role of Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime and the people of West Yorkshire can be confident she will be a champion for them on the issues that matter,” said Mr BurnsWilliamson.
“I am proud of what has been achieved over the last nine years and I’m very pleased to be able to use that experience to support the Mayor during this transition in the coming weeks and the exciting opportunities ahead.”