New Trustee Appointed to the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross (RUC GC) Foundation

The Department of Justice has announced the appointment of Joanne Bunting MLA as a Trustee of the RUC GC Foundation.

Ms Bunting is appointed as the statutory nominee of the Chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said: “I would like to congratulate Ms Bunting on her appointment.  She will bring a wealth of experience to this position and I wish her every success for her term of office at the Foundation.”

The Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Foundation is an Arm’s Length Body of the Department of Justice. It commenced work in December 2001.  The Foundation has a number of statutory functions including marking the sacrifices and honouring the achievements of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC, supporting the professional development of serving police officers and responsibility for the RUC GC Memorial Garden.

Notes to editors: 

1.  The Foundation comprises a Chair and a Board of five Trustees all of whom are appointed by the Department of Justice.  Two of the Trustees are nominated by the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, subject to the approval of the Department.

 2.  The procedure for the appointment of Trustee is compliant with the Commissioner for Public Appointments Northern Ireland (CPANI) Code of Practice. The appointments are made by the Department of Justice taking account of its statutory duty under the RUC GC Regulations 2002.

 3.  The tenure for the Trustee will commence on 22 February 2021.

 4.  The post does not attract remuneration.

 5.  The appointment of Trustee is made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, the Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the political activity of appointees to be published.  Details of the declaration in relation to political activity are included below.

 6.   Pen Picture

Joanne Bunting

Ms Bunting is a Democratic Unionist MLA for East Belfast having first been elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2016.  As part of her political duties she represents her party as an active member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, while also currently serving as the Vice-Chairperson of the Assembly’s Audit Committee and as Chair of the All Party Groups on Terminal Illness and Modern Slavery.

Prior to entering politics Ms Bunting was employed by Northern Bank, before making the move to politics in 1998 by taking up the first of a number of party staff roles she would hold at Stormont.  In the course of this period she also served in local government for 11 years as a Councillor in the former Castlereagh Borough Council during which time she was part of the Strategic Leadership Board for the Reform of Local Government, reporting directly to Direct Rule and Executive Ministers and chairing the all-Party Policy Development Panel for Governance, Community Planning and Central and Local Government Relations.

Political Activity:  Ms Bunting is a member of the Democratic Unionist Party.

 7.  All media enquiries should be directed to press.office@justice-ni.gov.uk  Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 028 90378110 and your call will be returned.

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