Three new independent members from were today appointed to Northumbria Police Authority.

Two of the authorities existing independent members, Christina Drury and Janet Guy were also reappointed for four years and three existing magistrate members including Tony Atkinson David Brown and Ralph Foster were reappointed until March 2008.

Newcastle member Councillor Diane Packham was replaced by Cllr Gareth Cooper who is now one of nine councillors, three magistrates and five independent members representing the people of Tyne and Wear and Northumberland by serving on Northumbria Police Authority.

The police authority is responsible for ensuring that Northumberland and Tyne and Wear have an efficient and effective police service. Its duties include consulting with the public, setting policing priorities for the year ahead, monitoring the performance of Northumbria Police and overseeing an annual police budget.

Mr Sohan Singh joins Jill Remnant and Joan Moon as new members.

Multi-lingual Mr Singh grew up in Kenya and has worked as a teacher, a head teacher, a treatment manager and a life coach.  He was also the general secretary for a Sikh Temple in Newcastle until 2004 and chaired the Racial Equality Council for ten years.

Ms Jill Remnant has a 14-year history of working for the NHS and was most recently head of Patient, Carer and Public Involvement at the North East Strategic Health Authority.  Her employment career also spans Humberside Training and Enterprise Council, Manpower Services Commission, Department for Employment and the Inland Revenue amongst others.

And retired teacher Joan Moon was most recently a voluntary member, trustee and director at St James’ and St Bede Family Centre, Gateshead.

Joan, said, “I found out about this opportunity from Gateshead Community Network, of which I am an active member.  I have always enjoyed working with local people and communities and this role will help me to represent their views and hopefully show how they can impact on police planning.”

Joan is also a member on the Gateshead Community Network, vice chair of the Gateshead Early Years and Childcare Partnership and a member on the Gateshead Children and Young Peoples’ Partnership.

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