Politics

Karen Bradley expected to re-establish Policing Board

Karen Bradley is expected to outline plans re-establish the Policing Board after the summer
Karen Bradley is expected to outline plans re-establish the Policing Board after the summer Karen Bradley is expected to outline plans re-establish the Policing Board after the summer

SECRETARY of State Karen Bradley is today expected to outline plans to re-establish the Policing Board after the summer.

The Northern Ireland Office last night confirmed that a statement on public appointments is scheduled to be made at Westminster.

"The government has always been clear that, in the continued absence of an executive, we will take the decisions which are necessary to maintain good governance in Northern Ireland," an NIO spokesman said.

"As the secretary of state has previously told the house, she intends to make a statement on public appointments before the summer recess."

Legislation is expected to redress the lack of legal authority for the Policing Board, which oversees the work of the PSNI.

Policing Board chair Anne Connolly and Chief Constable George Hamilton have both voiced concern about the absence of policing oversight since the collapse of devolution 18 months ago.

The board is supposed to be composed of 10 politicians and nine independent members but it has not met since last January.

The bill the secretary of state plans to bring forward will enable her to reconstitute the Policing Board's political members, as well as appointing independent members, in a move normally reserved for Stormont's justice minister.

The contracts of the board's three independent members expired at the end of June.

The Policing Board has a number of administrative tasks to address, which it currently does not have the authority to implement.

They include appointing a successor to Deputy Chief Constable Drew Harris, who was recently named as the new Garda Commissioner.

Some PSNI officers are also on temporary contracts and the chief constable's contract is due to expire in 12 months' time.

Former Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan told the BBC that there is nobody holding the PSNI to account.

"If you look at the minutes on their website they haven't met for a long time," he said.

"There is nobody there to scrutinise – it's clear that Karen Bradley has come to the conclusion that there is no prospect of Stormont reforming in the immediate future."

Policing Board Chair Anne Connolly said new members must be appointed.

"Whilst I along with independent members colleagues have been working to keep the structures of police accountability in place, without a legally constituted membership the Board’s range of statutory duties, including senior officer appointments, could not be discharged," she said.

"The prevailing situation has been deeply concerning and frustrating for me as Board Chair as there are many issues that need addressed and progressed.

"It is positive the Secretary of State has now indicated that legislation will be introduced in the autumn to progress appointments to the Board which will hopefully allow the Board to become fully operational again."