Board Members
Claire Lindley (Chair of the Board)
Chief Crown Prosecutor, CPS Staffordshire (link)
As the Chair of the Criminal Justice Board Claire has the opportunity to enhance and improve performance and confidence by working closely with colleagues from the other criminal justice agencies and partner organisations who are dedicated to delivering swift but fair justice.
Claire is also lead Board member for the priority area of system efficiences. It is important that the Board identifies opportunites to increase efficiencies, and ensure that best practice is adopted across the system as a whole, for example in areas such as case progression.
Claire Lindley was appointed as the Chief Crown prosecutor for Staffordshire in August 2009, having been the CCP in Cumbria from 2005-2009. Claire was born in Greater Manchester and studied Law at Nottingham University from 1982–1985. Claire then became a barrister in 1986 and then went to London School of Economics for a year to study Employment law, attaining a Masters degree in 1987.
Mike Cunningham (Vice Chair)
Chief Constable, Staffordshire Police (link)
As a Board member Mike has responsibility for the Board's priority of public confidence. The criminal justice system relies on public co-operation and involvement to function effectively. Low public satisfaction and confidence can lead to unnecessary fear of crime, insecurity and may dissuade people from reporting crime or becoming a witness. The Board's aim is to develop a framework where the public can have confidence that we understand and are taking steps to deal with the issues that concern them.
As Chief Constable Mike is responsible for the delivery of effective policing to all the communities of Staffordshire whom we serve. His aim is to ensure that everyone who either resides, works or travels through Staffordshire feels safe and confident to do so. The role of the Police is to investigate reports of crime received and to gather all available evidence in order to identify those individuals responsible and through the preparation of a quality written file to enable successful prosecutions before our courts.
Peter Hammersley
Area Director, HMCS Staffordshire, West Mercia & the Black Country (link)
Peter is lead Board member for the priority area of mental health. It is important that offenders with mental health issues are identified at an early stage and are treated as part of their rehabilitation.
As Area Director, Peter's remit is to deliver justice effectively and efficiently to the public. He is responsible for managing the six magistrates’ courts and the two Crown Courts in Staffordshire.
In his current role Peter was recently project executive for the introduction during 2007/08 of the streamlining of the Magistrates’ Court activities (CJSSS) - which has substantially increased efficiency and reduced the lead time for trial cases being completed in court. Prior to his current role Peter was Area Director the Thames Valley area, within the South East Region. - the largest area in the country.
Bridie Oakes-Richards
Governor, HM Prison & YOI, Drake Hall, Stafford (link)
As a Board member Bride has responsibility for the Board's priority of reducing re-offending. The performance management approach to crime reduction has been highly effective in reducing
some forms of crime. However, the LCJB is now taking a broader approach to tackling prolific and
other priority offenders and will focus on offenders released from short-term prison sentences,
who are continually in and out prison - with the aim of breaking that cycle
As Governor of Drake Hall semi-open Women's Prison she has responsibility for the running of the prison which has an incentive and education scheme, workshops, training courses, farms and gardens, works department and gym. With a capacity for over 300 prisoners the special features of the prison include voluntary and paid outwork programmes, a listener scheme, and anti- bullying system.
Rob Mandley
Chief Officer, Staffordshire Probation Area (link)
Rob is lead Board member for the priority area of domestic violence. There have been a number initiatives to encourage more people to report domestic violence which has increased the number of reported incidents. However, this has confirmed levels of under reporting and the challenge now is to build upon these achievements and encourage more people to come forward.
Rob heads up the Staffordshire Probation Area, part of the National Probation Service which, along with HM Prison Service, is now part of the new National Offender Management Service (NOMS). Through working with the LCJB and other partner community agencies, the aims are to protect the public, to reduce re-offending, to ensure the proper punishment of offenders in the community, to ensure offenders' awareness of the effects of crime on victims and the public and to rehabilitate offenders.
Barbara Elks
Head of Youth Offending Services, Staffordshire (link)
Barbara is lead Board member for the priority area of Young People. Identifying children and young people who are at risk of offending is crucial in turning them away from more serious crime and from becoming potential victims themselves. Success in early intervention depends on agencies recognising individual risk, identifying possible solutions and responding in a coordinated way.
As Head of Staffordshire Youth Offending Service Barbara has been in post since April 2009. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 established the principal aim of the Youth Justice System as the prevention of crime amongst children and young people and placed a responsibility upon local authorities to develop multi-agency teams with the specific purpose of achieving this aim. Barbara is a qualified social worker and holds a Masters Degree in Criminology.
John Tate
Director of Stoke on Trent Youth Offending Services (link)
John is lead Board member for the victims and witnesses priority area. Our experience tells us that we need to do more to embed service standards in all parts of the system, from initial contact with the police through to the payment of any compensation.
As Director, Youth Offending Services Stoke-on-Trent, he is responsible for a range of services to children and young people aged eight and 17 years - who offend, or are at risk of offending. The Statutory aim is to prevent offending, however, in many cases young people are often the vicitms and witnesses of crime. Over recent years the Youth Offending Services have developed restorative services, bringing together young people, parents, victims and members of the community to restore the damage caused by offending.
John Wood
Programme Manager, Board Support Team
John manages the delivery of the Board's complex and varied programme of work. This involves supporting the Board in setting and reviewing its priorities, supervising the work of the Board support team in delivering projects, proactively managing the Board's agenda, and fostering a community of support for the work of the Board from criminal justice agency staff., partner organisations and stakeholders. The overall aim is to continually improve the Board's programme framework to increase public confidence in the criminal justice system in Staffordshire.
John started his career as a police officer in Staffordshire Police Force working his way up to Divisional Commander for the City of Stoke-on-Trent. Before joining Staffordshire Criminal Justice Board John held the post of acting Assistant Chief Constable.
Jane Gould
Project Manager, Board Support Team
Jane's role with the Board has been to pilot the implementation of the ‘Beacon Approach’ to criminal justice change management , providing the flexibility to tailor service improvements to meet local needs and priorities and drive innovation. The initiative is helping to develop a co-ordinated approach to change programmes and system efficiencies such as Criminal Justice Simple, Speedy, Summary (CJSSS) reforms to streamline court processes and reduce bureaucracy.
Jane started her career as a medical microbiologist at Russell’s Hall Hospital, Dudley, after gaining a BSC (hons) in Microbiology & Microbial Technology from Warwick University. In 1995 Jane became a Scenes of Crime Officer with Staffordshire Police. She then moved to a partnerships coordinator role for Cannock Chase District in 2000, where she developed the five district Community Action Teams.
Martine Redpath
Communications & Marketing Manager, Board Support Team
Martine’s remit for the Board is to develop, implement and manage a communication strategy and plan that supports the board’s objectives - with particular reference measuring its effectiveness to increase public confidence in the criminal justice system in Staffordshire. Martine has project management responsibility for both community engagement and staff engagement.
Martine started her career in human resources (after gaining a BA (hons) from Nottingham University) in roles ranging from executive business partner through to management of HR caseworkers. Then moving on to gain seven years experience in learning and development as people developement manager, project manager and tutor; and gaining qualifications and 12 years experience in communications & marketing management - for large blue-chip organisations, in the private sector.
Neville Trumper
Performance Manager, Board Support Team
Neville has 25 years experience working for HMCS in roles ranging from criminal listing officer at Birmingham and Wolverhampton Crown Courts, Deputy and Court Manager Wolverhampton, Stoke and Shrewsbury, through to Judicial Manager handling itineraries in the Midlands. He also worked with the five Area Criminal Justice Liaison Committees, which were the precursors to the LCJBs.
He spent the latter part of his career as Midlands Finance Manager responsible for a £46 million budget and after the merger of the administrations for Magistrates’ Courts, Crown & County Courts, became Finance & Resources Manager in Staffordshire. Neville’s remit for the Board is to develop, plan and utilise the performance review system to support the achievement of joint criminal justice objectives, performance targets and delivery.
