‘Long-term continuity’ sought as Sir Thomas Winsor and HMIs receive contract extensions

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector and all five inspectors of constabulary will now serve until at least 2020 to ensure stability as they take on new responsibilities. The Home Office has agreed the contract extensions to maintain “long-term continuity” in the newly-expanded HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS). The extensions spread out departure dates, as three HMIs and Sir Thomas had been due to leave during a four-month period in 2019. Both Sir Thomas and Wendy Williams will now continue at HMICFRS until March 2022 after receiving three and four-year extensions respectively. Zoë Billingham’s contract will expire in September 2021 rather than 2019, Dru Sharpling’s in September 2020 instead of 2019, and Mike Cunningham’s in December 2020 rather than August 2019. Meanwhile, Matt Parr – appointed last August – will serve for another five months as his contract was extended from July to December 2021. A HMICFRS spokesperson said: “As a consequence of the discussions concerning the appointment of the HM Inspectors for fire and rescue services, the terms of office for HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary and HM Inspectors of Constabulary have been extended. “This will mean long-term continuity and has the added benefit of staggering the HMIs’ dates of departure which had previously been clustered around a six-month period for HMCIC and three HMIs.”