Strategic Policing & Crime Board

Waheed has worked across the public, private and voluntary sectors, regionally and nationally. He works with a range of organisations and individuals providing support and advice on organisational change, governance, business development and strategic management. He graduated from the London School of Economics in Social Policy and is a fellow of the RSA. He has been instrumental in developing leadership programmes for young people and mentors in inner city schools. Previously he gained director level experience in the NHS working in several strategic areas in different parts of the country.

He is a Trustee of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, Non-Executive Director Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust and a Member of the CVS Honours Committee.

His previously held roles include: Trustee of NACRO, a leading national criminal justice charity; Non-Executive Director Paycare, a health insurance company; Vice President Asian Business Chamber of Commerce representing small and medium sized businesses in Greater Birmingham area; Chair of the Lunar Society, the regional learned society; Non-Executive Director Metropolitan Housing Association; Chair of CORE Education Trust; Non-Executive Director of Sustainability West Midlands; Non-Executive Director of the National Crime Squad; UK Sustainable Development Commission; Meat Hygiene Advisory Committee; Rail Passenger Committee; Government Office West Midlands; Chair of a major health and social care partnership Right Care Right Here; Chair of Groundwork West Midlands.

Brendan was born in Liverpool, educated at Leeds University and Bradford University Management Centre and served in the Royal Navy.

He has lived and worked in the West Midlands for the last 25 years and is currently Chairman of CENEX plc.

He worked for Lucas Industries and TRW in senior management positions and latterly as Chief Executive Officer of Cosworth Racing Ltd in Northampton.

He was an independent member of the West Midlands Police Authority from 2005 to 2012, serving as Chair of Local Policing and Justice, Chair of Audit Committee and Member of the Counter Terrorism Oversight Group.

He has also served as a board member for Advantage West Midlands (2005-2012), University of Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (2006-2012) and Chairman of Coventry Schools Foundation (1996-2011).

He is currently Chairman of the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity and was Deputy Chairman of the Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford from 2005-15. Brendan was appointed Deputy Lieutenant for the West Midlands in July 2014.

Brendan is also a member of the Armed Force Pay Review Body, responsible for providing independent advice to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence on the remuneration and charges for members of the forces.

He is married with two grown up daughters and lives in Berkswell near Solihull.

Cath is a former West Midlands Police officer, starting as a bobby on the beat in Handsworth and concluding her career 32 years later as Detective Superintendent.

During her time in the force, she fought against crimes including paedophilia, kidnapping and extortion, anti-social behaviour, terrorism, organised crime, gang violence and child exploitation.

Cath worked with many different agencies and people to develop innovative schemes to protect the residents of the West Midlands. This included leading multi-agency teams to improve police investigations and support for victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, forced marriage, ‘honour’-based violence, as well as safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. She built partnerships across national and international boundaries to increase community safety regarding the policing and supervision of violent and sex offenders.

Cath’s work was recognised with the 2010 West Midlands Safeguarding Award for services to protecting children, and she has received many commendations for her investigation skills and work as an ambassador for the police.

After retiring from policing in 2010, Cath worked as an investigator for the General Social Care Council, responsible for the regulation and investigation of social workers.

In November 2012, Cath was an independent candidate in the first West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner election. She has served on the Strategic Policing and Crime Board since its inception.

She has responsibility for several portfolios including Public Protection, modernising the Police Museum, Transforming Investigations as part of the WMP 2020 Transformation Programme, is a member of the Joint Audit Committee and chair of the Victims Commission.

The Commission combines the expertise of voluntary and community organisations and partner agencies to act as an advisory body to the PCC in the provision of specialist services. With the aid of funding from the PCC the Commission has improved services for victims of crime across the West Midlands.

In December 2016 following 6 years of part time study Cath achieved her Professional Doctorate in Policing, Security and Community Safety, specialising in the management of high-risk offenders which compliments her Master of Science Degree in Clinical Criminology achieved in 2002.

Sarah is a GP, with a special interest in treating homeless people and other vulnerable patients, and is Associate Medical Director for NHS England, West Midlands, in Birmingham.

Sarah studied medicine at the University of Birmingham and has worked as freelance GP for 15 years at different surgeries around the city.

For the past 14 years, she has also been a GP for the homeless at Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and also sits on fitness to practise hearings for doctors at the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service.

Sarah is passionate about making a difference to people’s lives, especially hard-to-reach and vulnerable groups, and specialises in mental health, addiction and sexual health.

Last year, she was nominated as one of only 25 NHS leaders to take part in the Developing Health Leaders – Deputy Directors Programme, which supports the brightest talent prospects the NHS has to offer.

Sarah, who lives in Birmingham, is a new member of the SPCB and was selected due to her exceptional skills, knowledge of public sector bodies and the challenges they face and her passion and belief in helping others.

The University of London graduate, who runs a plumbers merchants in Smethwick, has a background of entrepreneurship, public service and political activism – and wants to bring all of his skills and experience to the Office of the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner.

Gurinder, a former trustee of the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Smethwick and a trustee of the HOPE Not Hate charitable trust, is currently a member of Sandwell Police Independent Advisory Group and advises on policing policy and procedure.

The former Sandwell councillor was also a member of the National Prevent Challenge Panel and has engaged with the national task group to tackle child sexual exploitation.

Gurinder sits on the Sikh Council UK national executive and is also a governor at three successful schools and Chair of Directors at a multi-academy trust.

In 2018 Gurinder recieved a CBE for his tireless work as a campaigner against racism, a major supporter of the role of Sikhs in British society and has worked on countless community projects in Smethwick and around the country.

He said: “I believe passionately that the West Midlands is an excellent place to live, to work and to bring up our children. I want to ensure it continues to be so and am dedicated to achieving this.”

Tom is the Strategic Adviser to the PCC advising on a broad range of areas including data ethics, public sector reform and devolution strategy.

After growing up in the West Midlands, Tom graduated with an undergraduate and Masters degree from Durham University and Cambridge University respectively. After starting his career as a commercial lawyer he later became a charity law specialist advising leading charities, social enterprises, trade unions and public bodies on a significant variety of legal issues.

Other experiences include being a governor for an autism specialist school, serving as a Special Constable for the Metropolitan Police, sitting as a non-executive director for a human rights organisation, volunteering for a number of years for the children’s charity Barnardo’s and gaining political experience by standing as a parliamentary candidate in two general elections in the West Midlands. He has also recently been appointed as a trustee for the National Union of Students and Chair of its Group Audit & Risk Committee.

He is particularly passionate about policies aimed at preventing crime through the power of education and tackling poverty.