Mayor to establish London Policing Board to oversee and scrutinise reform of the Metropolitan Police Service

• Londoners with diverse lived experiences and backgrounds and a wide range of professional and personal skills invited to be part of board and drive forward changes and improvements needed to policing in London
• New board fulfils recommendation in Baroness Louise Casey Review for quarterly London Policing Board to increase transparency and accountability of Met to Londoners 
• Members of the Board will provide high-level, specialist advice to challenge and support to assist the Mayor in holding the Met Police Service to account and rebuilding public confidence and trust in the force

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that he is setting up a London Policing Board to oversee and scrutinise the urgent reform of the Met.

Londoners with diverse lived experiences and backgrounds and a wide range of professional and personal skills are invited to apply and help drive forward the changes and improvements needed to make London a safe city for all.

Establishing a London Policing Board chaired by the Mayor was a recommendation in Baroness Louise Casey’s review of culture and standards in the Met - which the Mayor requested, to increase the transparency and accountability of the Met to all the diverse communities it serves.

This action is part of the Mayor’s commitment to turning the recommendations of the Baroness Casey review into long-lasting and meaningful change to improve the service the Met provides to Londoners and foster a more open, fair and responsive culture within the force.

In line with Baroness Casey’s recommendation, the new board will drive forward the changes needed, based on the transparent approach to accountability now used by Transport for London, with meetings held in public and a membership representing a range of skills and lived experiences. Arrangements will reflect the different legal structures in place for policing, including the oversight powers of the Mayor and the operational independence of the Commissioner. 

Members of the board will provide specialist advice to assist the Mayor in holding the Met to account in delivering the reforms needed to rebuild confidence and trust in the police.

The new London Policing Board is part of a package of measures by the Mayor to accelerate the root and branch reforms of the Met’s performance and culture so that every community in London can feel protected and served. 

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I have already put the Met on a path of far-reaching systemic and cultural reform, with the appointment of a new Commissioner and leadership team who acknowledge the scale of the problems and are committed to change. In line with Baroness Casey’s recommendations, I am now setting up a London Policing Board to publicly oversee and scrutinise these reforms to help the Met deliver a safer and fairer London for everyone. 

“I am looking for Board members from across London’s diverse communities and representing a range of expertise and lived experience, who can help me oversee and drive the changes Baroness Casey has identified, for the benefit of all Londoners.

“This is an opportunity to make a real and positive difference to how Londoners are policed. I am confident that together, we can make the changes needed and that we can support the Met to become a service that has the trust and confidence of all Londoners. I look forward to hearing from prospective candidates who want to play an active part in supporting and overseeing the Met, to ensure that all Londoners receive the trusted, representative, fair and effective police service that they deserve.”

Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “As Commissioner it is my responsibility to deliver the reform and changes to policing that both Londoners and officers expect and deserve. I know the Mayor is committed to supporting me and the Met in that work. I welcome the establishment of the London Policing Board and the scrutiny it will provide.

“I am sure we will benefit from the valuable insight of a board which is intended to be reflective of diverse voices and experience from across the city.

“I welcome this new approach to constructive scrutiny, including the opportunity for the process to take place in public so that Londoners can have confidence in the progress we are making towards delivering more trust, less crime and high standards.”