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Prevent Champions Network

The government's Prevent strategy forms one element of the national counter-terrorism strategy, CONTEST, and aims to reduce the threat of terrorism to the UK by stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.


Under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, councils and other specified authorities have a duty to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism when exercising their functions.

The LGA's regional Principal Advisers provide the focal point for discussions with councils about their improvement needs and the support available to councils around delivering the Prevent duty. As part of this, the LGA and Home Office have worked together to establish a Prevent Champions Network (PCN) in England and Wales to help support councillors in their work on Prevent. The PCN provides a network of experienced councillors from a range of councils who are willing to provide advice and support to other elected members, and to assist with understanding and implementing the duty locally. Members of the PCN can be contacted directly as below.


Cllr Joanne Beavis - Essex County Council

Cllr Beavis has been a Conservative councillor at Braintree Council since 2003, serving as Cabinet member for people and communities for nine years. She was elected to Essex Council in 2017 and is a member of Essex Fire and Rescue Service. Cllr Beavis works, on behalf of East of England LGA, as a Member Assessor for improvement in councillor development.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 07771 984365


Cllr Robert Light - Kirklees Council

Cllr Light was Leader of Kirklees Council for three years and leader of Kirklees Conservative Group for 15 years, and is Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Scrutiny Committee. Cllr Light is Vice-Chairman of the LGA’s City Regions Board. Cllr Light chairs the regional Prevent network for the Yorkshire & Humber region

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 07528 522322


Cllr Clive Woodbridge - Epsom & Ewell Borough Council

Cllr Woodbridge has been a Residents' Association councillor at Epsom and Ewell Borough Council since 2007. He is currently a member of the Audit, Crime & Disorder and Scrutiny Committee, Strategy & Resources and Community and Wellbeing Committees. Cllr Woodbridge is Deputy Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 8393 2853


Cllr Paul Hinge - Ceredigion County Council

Cllr Hinge was first elected as a Welsh Liberal Democrats councillor at Ceredigion Council in 2008. He was the Armed Forces Champion for the Council in the last administration, has been Chairman of Education and is now Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinating Committee.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 07870 826252


Cllr Eric Carter - Telford & Wrekin Council

Cllr Carter has been a Conservative councillor at Telford & Wrekin Council since 1991 and is involved in Prevent initiatives at both local and regional levels. In June 2017 he was appointed Chair of Shropshire and Wrekin Fire Authority, which has strong links to the Prevent network.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 07852 239957


Cllr Michael Rye OBE - London Borough of Enfield

Cllr Rye was first elected as a Conservative councillor at Enfield Council in 1994. He was Council Leader from 2002-2010, Chairman of the Crime, Community Safety & Strong Communities Scrutiny Panel in 2011, Shadow Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services in 2014 and became Shadow Cabinet Member for Education in May 2017.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 020 83511384


Cllr Joy Allen - Durham County Council

Cllr Allen has served as a Labour councillor at Durham Council since 2013 where she holds the Transformation Portfolio, including ICT, Emergency Planning and Humanitarian Assistance Resettlement Programme. She has 20 years community safety experience having worked for HM Forces, Police, District and Unitary Councils and the Fire and Rescue Service and Cabinet Office’s Emergency Planning College. Cllr Allen chairs the North East regional champions network.

Contact

Email: [email protected] 

Tel: 03000 26872


Cllr Simon Blackburn - Blackpool Council

Cllr Blackburn has been Leader of Blackpool Council since 2011. He is Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board and Board member champion for Prevent and Counter-Extremism. He is also a member of the LGA’s Labour Group Executive and peer reviewer in areas including children's services and adult social care.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 01253 477064


Cllr Anita Lower - Newcastle City Council

Cllr Lower was first elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor at Newcastle City Council in 1994. She was Deputy Leader from September 2010 until May 2011 and portfolio holder for Neighbourhoods and Public Protection. She was also Chair of Newcastle’s Community Safety Partnership. Cllr Lower became Leader of the Opposition in 2013.

She is Deputy Chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 0191 271 5625


Cllr Nigel Murphy - Manchester City Council

Cllr Nigel Murphy has served as a Labour councillor at Manchester City Council since 2006. He became Executive Member for Neighbourhoods in 2015, which includes responsibility for crime and community safety, neighbourhood management and public sector reform (reforming justice), and previously held the roles of Executive Member for the Environment and Executive Member for Housing and Regeneration.

Contact

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 0161 234 3217


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