Bev Hughes to stand down from Greater Manchester Deputy Mayor role

Baroness Bev Hughes has announced she is stepping down as Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime, Criminal Justice and Fire.

Ms Hughes will relinquish the post early in the new year, and will continue for a transitional period to ensure a smooth handover of responsibilities.

As Deputy Mayor, she has overseen the transformation of both Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Greater Manchester Police.

She has also led the city region’s efforts to reduce and prevent violent crime and gender-based violence – as well as leading the reviews into historic child sexual exploitation within Greater Manchester.

Kate Green, who has been MP for Stretford and Urmston since 2010, will be nominated by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, to become the new Deputy Mayor.

Baroness Hughes, said: “It’s been a privilege to work with Andy and other local leaders to establish Greater Manchester’s first metro mayor and combined authority, laying the foundations for a brighter future for our city region.

“A huge part of my role has been to keep people in our communities safe. Within just two weeks after the election of the Mayor in 2017, we immediately faced the biggest challenge imaginable after a terrorist attack killed 22 people and injured hundreds more at Manchester Arena.

“Our focus then was on the victims and families and that has been our continued focus throughout these five years, ensuring that that everything possible was done for them and that lessons are learnt. The Kerslake Review and the more recent Manchester Arena Inquiry have both bluntly exposed major failings in the emergency services at that time.

“Since then, I’m proud to have worked with the Mayor in bringing in a new Chief Fire Officer who, alongside a largely new leadership team, is driving the service forward to becoming a modern, excellent, progressive fire and rescue service with an inspiring culture to match.”

She added: “It has been a similar journey of improvement for Greater Manchester Police. The force we inherited had major problems, culminating in the decision by HMICFRS to impose special measures in December 2020, enabling the Mayor and I immediately to change the leadership.

“Under Chief Constable Stephen Watson, GMP came out of special measures a couple of weeks ago in record time. GMP has seen significant improvements across the board, including to 999 answer times – one of the best in the country – improved attendance at Grade 2 incidents, arresting more criminals, more investigations resulting in charges, solving more burglaries and recording more crime than ever.

“It has been an enormous privilege to do this job and work with so many able and committed people to improve community safety across Greater Manchester. I look forward to supporting the new Deputy Mayor into the post and seeing community safety partners and indeed Greater Manchester go from strength to strength.”

Andy Burnham said: “Bev has given an incredible career of service to the public of Greater Manchester and is a very hard act to follow.

“However, I’m confident I have found someone with the calibre, character, and values to do just that.

“Kate Green MP, has accepted my invitation to be put forward for the role as Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester with responsibility for Police and Fire, and that nomination will now go forward for consideration by our Police, Fire and Crime Panel.

“If approved, Kate will take up the role in the new year, supported by Bev in a transitional period.”