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Jo Coles - York and North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

Jo Coles - North Yorkshire Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime

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Meet the team

Meet the team working to keep communities of York & North Yorkshire safe and feeling safe

Overview

The Combined Authority appoints staff who are deployed wholly or partly in relation to the Mayor’s Police & Crime Commissioner functions. These staff are known as the Office for Policing, Fire, Crime & Commissioning (OPFCC). We ensure that the powers and duties of the PFCC are carried out efficiently and effectively.

Alongside the Mayor and DMPFC), the OPFCC ensures that the Mayor’s strategic programme for policing, fire and crime is carried into effect – providing, commissioning and overseeing services which meet the objectives, priorities and outcomes set out in the Police & Crime Plan and the Fire & Rescue Plan.

The OPFCC ensures that the Mayor and DMPFC has full executive and professional support in carrying out their duties and responsibilities comprehensively and lawfully.

All OPFCC staff report to the Corporate Director who in turn reports as required to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime and to the Combined Authority Chief Executive.

the OPFCC undertakes a wide range of functions of the Mayor via a scheme of delegated powers, supporting and representing the Mayor/Deputy Mayor in carrying out all aspects of the OPFCC’s public, service provision, scrutiny and governance roles.

With the exception of the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime themselves, staff within the  OPFCC must not undertake political work.

There are currently 39 posts within the OPFCC (excluding the Mayoral Combined Authority Transition Programme Team). This includes 2 Senior Officers, 3 Directors and 10 managers.

Senior Officers

Simon Dennis – Corporate Director OPFCC & Combined Authority Deputy Monitoring Officer for Mayoral Policing Fire & Crime functions

Every Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) or Police, Fire & Crime Commissioner (PFCC) must have a Chief Executive in post who will support and advise the Commissioner and assist in the delivery all statutory duties. Under the devolved Mayor model, the Corporate Director performs a similar role, acting as the most senior policing, fire and crime governance advisor to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime.

The Corporate Director works with the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer, the Chief Finance Officers (and equivalents) and other senior leaders to ensure delivery of the Mayor’s  policing, fire and crime vision, strategy and priorities and ensures rigorous scrutiny of operational activities.

The Corporate Director also provides effective leadership to the Mayor’s Office for Policing, Fire, Crime & Commissioning (“the OPFCC”) and is a member of the Combined Authority Leadership Team.

The Corporate Director holds the role of Combined Authority Deputy Monitoring Officer for Mayoral ‘PFCC’ functions, with a remit to identify any contravention of law, maladministration or injustice and to promote high ethical standards.

The post acts in lockstep with the Combined Authority Head of Paid Service, to discharge the responsibility for leading OPFCC staff and ensuring that the OPFCC has the skills, capacity, vision and values to support the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire & Crime in the performance of their powers and duties.

The post of Corporate Director is politically-restricted and the post holder must be appointed on merit.

Simon is a Solicitor with over 20 years of ‘blue light’ legal and regulatory experience. He has served in the roles of PCC Chief Executive & Monitoring Officer in both Cleveland and North Yorkshire and has been involved in the design and implementation of the ‘single elected individual’ model for police and fire governance, since its inception in 2011.

Nationally, Simon is a member of the Executive of the Association of Policing & Crime Chief Executives (APAC2E). Examples of recent national work include: assisting PCCs nationally to contribute to reform of the Policing Protocol Order; and Simon’s work with the APCC, NPCC and CPOSA to deliver national templates for Chief Police Officer terms of appointment.

Summary Responsibilities:

  • To provide dynamic leadership and effective, high-quality guidance, advice and support to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime and for staff within the OPFCC.
  • To ensure the Mayor and DMPFC and the Office meet their statutory duties and strategic objectives, ensuring legality, effective governance and the highest ethical standards.
  • To advise and assist the Mayor and DMPFC in the review, development and implementation of statutory Plans and commissioning powers.
  • To support and advise the Mayor and DMPFC in the development of vision, strategy and planning, ensuring implementation and regular review.

Michael Porter –Assistant Director of Resources (Deputy s73 Officer for Police, Fire and Crime Functions)

As Deputy Section 73 Officer, in relation to the following Police and Crime and Fire and Rescue Functions, Michael’s role includes:

To act as Deputy Section 73 Officer in relation to Police, Fire and Crime Functions of the Combined Authority, in particular the detailed financial management responsibilities of the Section 73 Officer as set out in the Financial Regulations within Part 9 of the Constitution of the Combined authority.

In respect of Police and Crime Functions of the Combined Authority, to act as financial advisor to the Mayor or Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (if appointed) exercising their Police and Crime Functions.  This includes a responsibility to manage the Mayor’s Police and Crime financial affairs as set out in sections 112 and 114 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 (as amended).

In respect of the Fire and Rescue Functions of the Combined Authority, to act as financial advisor to the Mayor or Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime (if Fire and Rescue Functions are delegated) exercising their Fire and Rescue Functions

Michael fulfils this role on a part-time basis, being also Cleveland PCC’s Chief Finance Officer.

Delivery & Assurance

Tamara Stevens – Director of Delivery and Assurance 

Tamara ensures that North Yorkshire Police, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and our own OPFCC drive forward progress towards the Priorities and Outcomes under our Plans for Policing and Crime and for Fire and Rescue.

Tamara also ensures that our new assurance model gives the Services the freedom to innovate and improve, whilst focusing on what the public tell us is important in order for them to be safe and feel safe.

Delivery and Assurance 

  • Mark Ayres – Delivery and Assurance Manager
  • Rebecca Smith – Commissioner’s Officer for Delivery & Assurance
  • Polly Etheridge – Commissioner’s Officer for Policy & Research

Fire and Rescue Authority Management 

  • Fiona Kinnear – Fire & Rescue Authority Manager

Business Governance

  • Becky Cannon – Business Manager & Data Protection Officer
  • Suzanne Wilkinson – Executive Assistant – Mayor
  • Sarah Davies – Executive Assistant to the Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime and Corporate Director
  • Joanne Pea – Executive Assistant – Executive Management Team
  • Alex Carter – Business Governance Assistant
  • Rojin Tehrani – Business Governance Assistant
  • Bethany Dollimore – Business Governance Apprentice

Contact the Business Governance team 

Inclusivity & Public Confidence

Amanda Wilkinson – Director of Public Confidence 

Amanda has specific portfolio responsibility for the OPFCC’s customer service function, our inclusivity and public confidence work and for ensuring effective communications and engagement with the public.

Inclusivity & Public Confidence

  • Sheila Forder – Inclusivity & Public Confidence Manager
  • Hannah Nash – Commissioner’s Officer for Inclusivity & Public Confidence

Customer Service 

  • Tina James-McGrath – Customer Service Manager
  • Kathy Kirk – Senior Customer Service Advisor
  • Melanie Flintoft – Customer Service Advisor
  • Ana Monteiro Kett – Customer Service Advisor
  • Rachel Johnson – Customer Service Advisor
  • Jack Parker – Customer Service Advisor
  • Gemma Ellerton – Customer Service Assistant

Contact the Customer Service team

  • Call: 01423 642700 between 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 4.30pm on Friday

Communications and Engagement 

  • Simon Jones – Communications and Engagement Manager
  • Tommaso Grant – Communications Officer
  • Amanda Bowers – Media Officer
  • Vacancy – Community Engagement Officer

Contact the Communications and Engagement team:

Commissioning & Partnerships

Jenni Newberry – Director of Commissioning, Criminal Justice and Partnerships; and Victims Champion 

Jenni has responsibility for the Commissioning, Criminal Justice and Partnerships directorate, delivering predominantly on the ‘and crime’ agenda. A key aspect of the role is directing the development and delivery the office’s Strategic Commissioning and Partnerships Plan. This plan sets out the commitments of the office to work in partnership to continuously improve the local services commissioned for victims, offenders and vulnerable people; and to support better outcomes for victims within the criminal justice process.

Jenni is also the office’s Victims Champion acting as a voice for victims, listening to their lived experience and engaging with services to identify themes, trends, and gaps in service provision so that the development of policies, planning and commissioning can be framed with victims needs in mind.

Commissioning & Partnerships 

  • Nicole Hutchinson – Commissioning & Partnerships Manager
  • Sally Lynch – Commissioning & Partnerships Manager
  • Sarah Arnott – Commissioning & Partnerships Manager
  • Wendy Green – Commissioning & Partnerships Manager
  • Keith Taylor – Commissioned Services Data & System Manager
  • Data Modeller (in Enable North Yorkshire)

Crime, Offending & Justice 

  • Vacancy – Commissioner’s Officer for Offending & Justice

Supporting Victims 

  • Claire – Supporting Victims Team Leader
  • Cai – Victim Care Coordinator
  • Emma – Victim Care Coordinator
  • Ian – Victim Care Coordinator
  • Lea  – Victim Care Coordinator
  • Sophie – Victim Care Coordinator
  • Alyson – Victim Care Coordinator
  • Sara – Victim Care Coordinator

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Contact the Supporting Victims Team

Combined Authority Transition Team 

This team will manage the transition of the OPFCC and all its statutory functions to the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority.

  • Sarah Arnott – Programme Manager
  • Natasha McCormack – Project Manager
  • Tom Maiden – Business Analyst
  • Rebecca Oxley – Business Analyst

Supporting Victims

Contact the Supporting Victims Team

Combined Authority Transition Team

This team will manage the transition of the OPFCC and all its statutory functions to the York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority. 

  • Sarah Arnott – Programme Manager
  • Natasha McCormack – Project Manager
  • Tom Maiden – Business Analyst
  • Rebecca Oxley – Business Analyst

OPFCC structure

OPFCC Organisation chart

Demographic information

As at 31 January 2024

Information provided by the North Yorkshire Police People Services department who are responsible for the management and recording of OPFCC HR data.

  • 40 – Total number of OPFCC staff (excluding volunteers, committee members and apprentice)
  • 80% – Percentage identifying as Female
  • 20% – Percentage identifying as Male
  • 0% – Percentage disclosing a disability
  • 10% – Identify as non-White British, made up of 2.5% Other Ethnic Origin, and 7.5% as White Other Origin

OPFCC location

  • Our main office is  the York & North Yorkshire Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning, Harrogate Police Station, Beckwith Head Rd, Harrogate, HG3 1FR, with access to work at all Police and Fire premises within York and North Yorkshire on a hybrid working arrangement.

Updated 21 May 2024

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