Baroness Bev Hughes, the deputy mayor of Greater Manchester, announced today she's stepping down from the role early in the new year - with current Stretford and Urmston Labour MP Kate Green set to replace her.
She's been serving as deputy mayor, under mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, since 2017. Mrs Hughes, 72, was previously the Stretford and Urmston Labour MP from 1997 to 2010.
She has served as deputy mayor for policing, crime, criminal justice and fire on behalf of the mayor since 2017, taking on formal oversight of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service in 2020, and was re-elected for a second term last year.
The news was confirmed at a press conference in Manchester today. Ms Green will be nominated as her successor by Mr Burnham.
She was elected as Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston in 2010 following the resignation of Mrs Hughes, but announced in February she would not be seeking re-election at the next General Election. She said at the time it was 'the right time for me to move on to new experiences and opportunities'.
A by-election could now be held.
Mrs Hughes said in a statement: "It's been a privilege to work with Andy and other local leaders to establish Greater Manchester’s first metro mayor and Combined Authority, laying the foundations for a brighter future for our city-region. A huge part of my role has been to keep people in our communities safe. Within just two weeks after the election of the Mayor in 2017, we immediately faced the biggest challenge imaginable after a terrorist attack killed 22 people and injured hundreds more at Manchester Arena.
"Our focus then was on the victims and families and that has been our continued focus throughout these five years, ensuring that that everything possible was done for them and that lessons are learnt. The Kerslake Review and the more recent Manchester Arena Inquiry have both bluntly exposed major failings in the emergency services at that time.
"Since then, I’m proud to have worked with the Mayor in bringing in a new Chief Fire Officer who, alongside a largely new leadership team, is driving the service forward to becoming a modern, excellent, progressive fire and rescue service with an inspiring culture to match.
"It has been a similar journey of improvement for Greater Manchester Police. The force we inherited had major problems, culminating in the decision by HMICFRS to impose special measures in December 2020, enabling the Mayor and I immediately to change the leadership.
"Under Chief Constable Stephen Watson, GMP came out of special measures a couple of weeks ago in record time. GMP has seen significant improvements across the board, including to 999 answer times – one of the best in the country – improved attendance at Grade 2 incidents, arresting more criminals, more investigations resulting in charges, solving more burglaries and recording more crime than ever.
"It has been an enormous privilege to do this job and work with so many able and committed people to improve community safety across Greater Manchester. I am proud to have led on the first integrated health and support service for people in police custody in the country, on our justice devolution deal which led to the establishment of a regional probation service for Greater Manchester giving us greater say in the services provided for our communities and in having been able to provide over £5million to voluntary sector organisations across Greater Manchester who work tirelessly to support people, often when they are at their most vulnerable.
"I look forward to supporting the new Deputy Mayor into the post and seeing community safety partners and indeed Greater Manchester go from strength to strength."
Mr Burnham said Mrs Hughes had 'given an incredible career of service to the public of Greater Manchester and is a very hard act to follow'.
He added: "However, I’m confident I have found someone with the calibre, character, and values to do just that. Kate Green MP has accepted my invitation to be put forward for the role as Deputy Mayor of Greater Manchester with responsibility for police and fire, and that nomination will now go forward for consideration by our Police, Fire and Crime Panel.
"If approved, Kate will take up the role in the new year, supported by Bev in a transitional period."
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