Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster has launched a new Advisory Panel to work with him during his term in office.
The Panel meets regularly and supports the PCC, providing critical thinking and expertise that will help support him when holding West Midlands Police to account.
You can find out a little bit about the panel members below.

Saba is a dedicated mother of two, mathematician, and Caseworker for West Bromwich MP Sarah Coombes. With several years of experience supporting communities, particularly in Wolverhampton, she has developed a deep understanding of the fears and challenges faced by marginalised groups, especially women, mothers, and BAME communities.
Councillor David Barker represents Brandwood & Kings Heath on Birmingham City Council. As part of this role, he has led on a road safety enquiry, working with partners including OPCC, WMP, and WMCA, to reduce road harm in Birmingham. He is also the LGBT+ Officer for the Council’s ruling Labour Group.
Haroon Bashir is currently the Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at University Birmingham. He has worked in education for more than 25 years in a variety of roles such a curriculum, pastoral, equality, and safeguarding.
As a local councillor representing a diverse and deprived ward, Bushra is dedicated to community engagement & advocacy, acting as a voice for constituents. Prior to this she was the Lady Mayoress of Birmingham.
Reece Bradley has a diverse breadth of experience covering ethics, law enforcement, creative writing and current affairs. He is inquisitive at heart, having held positions as a Trainee Detective Constable for West Midlands Police and as an Investigation Panel Member for the CIPD.
Charmaine Burton is a social entrepreneur, communications specialist, political broadcaster, Consultant, WMPCC Advisory Panel Member, Honorary Secretary of the Lunar Society and Executive Committee member, former House of Commons Committee on Standards lay member and the Community Media Association Council member.
Belinda has a background in the life science industry and worked in a number of roles over the last two decades to include healthcare systems, improved patient pathways and latterly in the area of substance misuse. Belinda is an Independent Panel Member for a number of agencies as well as a trainer. Her time volunteering at a women’s refuge has driven her interest to work alongside other under recognised groups.
Suzette was a police officer for 31 years, serving in five police forces & predominantly working in uniformed roles. She has a particular interest in equality, diversity, inclusion and road safety. For a number of years she has been working to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads.
Dr Luke John Davies represents Smethwick as a Labour and Co-operative Party Councillor on Sandwell Council, for whom he also chairs the Economy, Skills, Transport and Environment Scrutiny Board.
Sabrina Dennis is the CEO of the award-winning First-Class Foundation and the Owner and Senior Consultant at Legacy Consultants. With over 15 years of experience in community engagement, she specialises in youth violence prevention, safeguarding, and community safety.
Halima is a black, Somali, Muslim woman and bilingual, which she says allows her to have the privilege to see the world through the intersectionality of different experiences. She has more than 15 years’ experience of working as a Social Worker working with children and families in different roles. She is passionate about social justice and having knowledge of issues of Equality, Diversity and inclusion.
Nasar Iqbal, Founder of Black Country Innovate CIC, is a committed advocate for inclusivity, social equity, and collaboration. With over a decade of experience, he specialises in hate crime reduction, community cohesion, and empowering young people. Nasar has led impactful initiatives, fostering connections and supporting sustainable development for under-served communities.
Imran is Birmingham born and bred and works in sports performance and physiology as well in longevity and wellness. In this capacity he works with individuals to improve performance and mental and physical wellness. He also works with mentoring and coaching in the South Asian community in family matters.
Angela lives in Sandwell and works for Birmingham City Council as a Community Safety Partnership Manager. Previous roles include community development, neighbourhood management and project management. Her current role involves addressing anti-social behaviour within local communities. As a JNC qualified Youth and Community Worker she is an advocate for providing children and young people with opportunities to achieve their potential.
A Civil Society Social Impact leader and Strategic Advisor with over 30 years’ experience in leading a diverse range of civil society organisations across the UK and globally. Roles include Co-Director of Muslim Civil Society Initiative (MCSI), Interim Exec Chair of Soul City Arts, Non-Exec Director at Ashley Community Housing, Strategic Adviser to UNICEF South Asia on diaspora engagement, Director at VCSEP at the British Red Cross.
Gerard has lived and worked in the West Midlands his entire life and since 2012 the borough of Solihull. He served in West Midlands Police as a Police Officer for 25 years working mainly in the Handsworth area of Birmingham and later on the city centre. Working with communities to solve problems was his favourite aspect of policing. He thinks it is possible to improve the quality of people’s lives with cooperation, education and conversation.
Anton grew up and still lives in Coventry. He used to belong to a gang. Having turned his life around he founded Guiding Young Minds and is currently Programme Manager and recognised as a leading mentor in the UK. Anton is an award-winning consultant in gang culture and serious youth violence.
With over 18 years of service in HMPPS, Eamon gained experience across Youth Custody, Young Offenders and Adult Male facilities. As Head of Safety and Equalities at HMP Birmingham, he brings extensive knowledge and a passion for positive change. He says he is particularly focused on engaging young people through sports to deter them from crime and aiding individuals involved in gangs.
Neslihan builds bridges between civil service, business, arts and culture sectors to maximize socially responsible sustainable growth. She is an educator who is passionate about positive-social-change, intercultural dialogue, and fostering. She worked as a researcher at Coventry University, where she studied sociology and an MA in Peace and Reconciliation.
Suffia is a leader in community empowerment, engagement, and inclusion with over 30 years of experience. As CEO of the Ethnic Minority Council and Lead for the Wolverhampton Equalities Partnership, she advocates for underrepresented communities and equality across sectors. She co-chairs Healthwatch Wolverhampton and serves on the West Midlands Phoenix Way board, addressing health inequalities, race, and social justice.
A female criminologist and youth specialist, Rae-Anne has contributed to the fields of criminal justice, criminology, and youth studies, focusing on young people and violence. She has researched female offending behaviour, and the intersection of social inequality and criminal behaviour. Her work focuses on evidence-based approaches to crime prevention and the effectiveness of positive activities in reducing youth crime.
Dr Mohammed Rahman is an academic criminologist specialising in serious violence and organised crime, with a focus on the West Midlands and beyond. His research has acquired global recognition through three published books and he currently teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students at Birmingham City University.
Simon has been working within the criminal justice system for 30 years. He is a qualified Solicitor Advocate and has been in practice since 1998. He sits as The Law Society Council Member for the Black Country.
Preeya Sahni, LLB (Hons), MBA, is a highly experienced solicitor with 17 years PQE and over 20 years in the Civil Service, specialising in Criminal, Family, Civil, Court of Protection, and Product Safety law. With senior roles in leadership and an MBA, she is dedicated to promoting excellence and driving positive change.
As a Senior Manager with over 13 years of experience in the prison system, Haroon specialises in faith provision and conflict resolution, particularly in mediating disputes among prison gangs. Beyond his work in prisons, he is actively engaged with the local community, offering advice and guidance and mentorship to community groups especially the youth.
Shuranjeet Singh was born, raised and currently lives in Handsworth, Birmingham. Shuranjeet runs a community mental health organisation and supports local initiatives around improving housing, education, and healthcare.
Bishop Robin Thompson is Executive Director and Co-Founder of “Bringing Hope”, a Christian charitable organisation working to transform and impact the lives of those affected by serious youth violence. For more than 30 years, he has specialised in working with socially excluded young people and families from different ethno-cultural backgrounds across Birmingham and the UK.
Hayley works for Dudley Council as Child Friendly Dudley Programme Lead and the rights, and best interests, of children and young people is the focus of her work. After teaching in primary schools in inner-city Birmingham and areas of the Black Country, Hayley spent time working with the National Probation Service, supporting children and young people at Black Country Women’s Aid and as Education Delivery Manager at the Violence Reduction Partnership.
Rachel is an educator with 18 years of experience in teaching and educational leadership in inner-city schools. As a Designated Safeguarding Lead, she works within a safeguarding team that supports 12 schools, ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students. She is also the Founder and Managing Director of Birmingham Says No CIC, an organisation addressing knife crime and youth violence.
A mother of teenage boys, Katie works as an NHS consultant, dual accredited in Adult and Paediatric Emergency Medicine. She has been working as a doctor in the West Midlands for more than 20 years. Having seen an increase in violent crime, she is a keen advocate of violence prevention strategies and early help for families facing adversity. She also works as Clinical Lead for the West Midlands Violence Prevention Partnership and as a Medical Examiner for University Hospitals Birmingham