New deputy mayor - with policing duties - confirmed

Kilvinder Vigurs was Mayor Oliver Coppard’s preferred candidate for the job and was confirmed in a unanimous decision by members of the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel.

Part of her role will be to commission services which both support crime victims and reduce offending.

She will also work towards establishing a Community Confidence Board, one of the mayor’s manifesto promises, to improve trust and confidence in the way police and the criminal justice system works.

Part of her remit will also be towards preventing knife crime and improving safety on the county’s roads.

Beyond the criminal justice responsibilities, Kilvinder will also take on the role of equalities commissioner, helping to ensure the work of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority reflects all the county’s communities.

Cllr Trevor Smith, chair of the Police and Crime Panel, said the new role was “pivotal”.