Appointment of new Board members

Local Partnerships is delighted to announce the appointment of its new Chair: Keith Fraser. Keith has worked in the public sector throughout his career. Keith brings a wealth of knowledge and is committed to using his experience to support communities. Alongside Keith, Local Partnerships also welcomes Jackie Belton, Chief Executive of the London Borough of Bexley, to the Board as an independent representative.

Keith brings a strong sense of compassion, empathy and integrity coupled with an excellent grasp of data and evidence-based decision making. Keith is a retired senior police officer who spent more than 30 years in the first and second largest police forces in the country. He considers one of his greatest achievements was setting up the cultural and communities resource unit in London, before moving to the West Midlands. He is the Chair of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales and was appointed by the Prime Minister as a Commissioner on the UK Race and Ethnic Disparities Commission. He is passionate about ensuring that every community is given the opportunity to be themselves and flourish.

Keith commented: “I am thrilled to have been selected as the new Chair of Local Partnerships. I am looking forward to building on the successes of the past and working with our team and stakeholders to support all communities, through our work across all parts of the public sector.”

Jackie Belton has had a long and successful career in local government working in 11 local authorities across London under Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrats political leadership. She has worked within the committee, mayoral and leader and cabinet political structures.

Jackie said: “I am very excited to be appointed to the Local Partnerships Board and look forward to working to deliver on its ambitions to grow and develop new services and expertise to support national and local government clients to meet the real challenges ahead.”

Jackie Belton succeeds Dr Barry Quirk CBE who is Chief Executive of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where he stepped in to lead the authority following the Grenfell Tower disaster, from which post he is retiring later this year.

Sean Hanson, Chief Executive, added: “The Board is deeply grateful to the outgoing Chair, Sir David Wootton JP, for his contribution to the success of Local Partnerships and to helping guide the organisation through many years. Sir David and Barry are exemplary public figures who have completed their full term on Local Partnerships’ Board and will be greatly missed, but we look forward very much to working with Keith and Jackie.”