The Secretary of State has announced the extension of Baroness Newlove as Victims’ Commissioner, whose term of office has been extended from 4 March until 31 May 2019; and the reappointment of Charlie Taylor as Chair of the Youth Justice Board for a period of 1 year. His new term will run from 17 March 2019 to 16 March 2020.
The Victims’ Commissioner and Chair of the Youth Justice Board are appointments made by the Secretary of State for Justice.
The extension and re-appointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and have been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
The Victims Commissioner is a statutory role, established under the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and amended by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009. The role of the Commissioner is to promote the interests of victims and witnesses, encourage good practice in their treatment, and regularly review the Code of Practice for Victims which sets out the services victims can expect to receive
The Youth Justice Board is a non-departmental public body responsible for overseeing the youth justice system in England and Wales. It is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Ministry of Justice.
Brief biographies
Baroness Newlove
Baroness Newlove was appointed VC for England and Wales in December 2012. Since then she has spent considerable time travelling the country, speaking to victims of crime and victim organisations, criminal justice partners, community members and voluntary groups.
She has undertaken many reviews, including the report into mentally disordered offenders and the impact on victims’ rights; the criminal injuries compensation scheme from a victim’s perspective; and the Registered Intermediaries scheme. Many of her recommendations were subsequently reflected in the Government’s ‘Victim’s Strategy’ published towards the end of last year, including the need for a Victims’ Law.
She was given a peerage in the 2010 Dissolution Honours list and sits in the House of Lords as a Conservative, Baroness Newlove of Warrington in the County of Cheshire. She has campaigned tirelessly for victims since the tragic death of her husband Garry in 2007 and her role as the Government’s Champion for Active Safer Communities saw her work with local people to make communities safer and to find solutions for local problems.
Charlie Taylor
Charlie Taylor became Chair of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales in March 2017, following his role in leading the Government’s review of the youth justice system in 2016. Prior to this he was Chief Executive of the National College of Teaching and Leadership from its launch in 2013, and a former head teacher of The Willows, a school for children with complex behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Charlie was the Coalition Government’s expert adviser on behaviour until 2012 and produced reviews for the Department for Education on alternative provision (for children excluded from mainstream schools) and attendance in schools.
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