Agenda item

To elect a Chair in line with Standing Order 29.

The Board proceeded to elect a Chair in accordance with Standing Order No. 29. Deputy James Thomson being the only Member expressing a willingness to serve was duly elected as Chair for the year ensuing and took the Chair.

Following his election, the Chair thanked the Board for their support and congratulated Dawn Wright and Deborah Oliver for their reappointment to the Board. The Chair outlining the achievements for the Police Authority including the stabilised financial position, new stronger leadership team and significantly strengthened Police Authority Team as important achievements. In addition, the Chair observed that the relationship between the City of London Police and key stakeholders internally and externally had been strengthened.

The Chair also outlined their priorities for the year ahead commenting that with the resources and people in place further significant positive change to the way the City of London Police serves communities, both locally and nationally, could be made at pace, highlighting the updated Policing Plan and significant fifteen percent uplift in police numbers as key contributors to this aim. Moreover, the accommodation programme, next generation of Action Fraud and continuing threat of terrorism were highlighted as priorities for the Police Authority to support.

The Chair observed that with trust and confidence in policing in the spotlight  priorities should continue to include; increased focus on victims, stronger partnership working through Safer City Partnerships including mental health and suicide prevention, building further on the work to tackle violence against women and girls and ensuring local policing and sector policing is fully engaged with all communities. In addition, the Chair commented that the City of London Police ensuring it had a strong and inclusive workforce that is representative of the communities was vital to achieving trust and confidence in policing noting the important of the Inclusivity Programme and cultural change to making the Force the most inclusive police service in the country, which it was confirmed was their firmly held ambitious.

The Chair concluded that the City of London Police was in a good place but noted the aim to make it a truly outstanding police service highlighting the role for both Members and Officers.

RESOLVED- That Deputy James Thomson be elected as Chair of the Police Authority Board for the year ensuing.