Alison Lowe announced as Mayor’s preferred candidate for Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime

12 May 2021

The Mayor of West Yorkshire has announced Alison Lowe as her preferred candidate for the role of Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime.

Ms Lowe is currently Chief Executive at Touchstone, a mental health and wellbeing charity based in West and South Yorkshire, specialising in working with BAME communities, and has worked with voluntary organisations for nearly 30 years.

She has previously represented Armley on Leeds City Council from 1990 to 2019 and served as Chair of the West Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel.

Tracy Brabin made the announcement having formally taken the oath to exercise the functions of police and crime commissioner as the Mayor of West Yorkshire.

Mark Burns-Williamson, who served two terms as West Yorkshire's first Police and Crime Commissioner, will advise the Mayor on policing and crime matters until Ms Lowe takes up her role.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “Alison brings a wealth of experience of policing and crime issues to the role and is a passionate champion of inclusion and mental health which we both want to be at the core of policing in West Yorkshire.

“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.

“Mark's knowledge and insight will be invaluable to me as we make this transition and I am very pleased he will be supporting me on policing and crime matters in the coming weeks."

Alison Lowe, the Mayor’s preferred candidate for Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, said: “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.

"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."

Mark Burns-Williamson OBE said: “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.

“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.”

Ms Lowe will be recommended to the Police and Crime Panel which will consider her candidacy at a meeting on the 18 June and is expected to take up the role in August.