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Boris picks major as youth envoy to tackle gang crime
Pippa Crerar, City Hall Editor08.01.09
BORIS Johnson today finally appointed an ambassador for young people to replace his disgraced deputy mayor Ray Lewis.
James Cleverly, a Tory Assembly member and major in the Territorial Army, will take over the job of providing more opportunities for teenagers.
He will work with deputy mayor for policing Kit Malthouse, who will continue to focus on cutting youth crime.
The pair will implement the Mayor's Time for Action plan to tackle the root causes of crime, which claimed the lives of 28 teenagers last year.
It includes proposals to give more support to first-time offenders, fine parents of regular truants and set up scholarships for disadvantaged children.
The Mayor revealed the role in a BBC radio interview today: “He's going to be working very hard on this because the problem [of youth crime] is still there. Just because it's out of the headlines, that doesn't mean it's not important.”
Mr Cleverly told the Evening Standard: “There isn't going to be a silver bullet to solve all of the issues. This is a long-standing and difficult problem that isn't going to be solved overnight. If we can make even a bit of a difference then we're getting somewhere. I'm being realistic about this.”
Mr Cleverly will bring together government, councils, charities and other agencies to help pour hundreds of millions of pounds into the problem.
He revealed he would be consulting Mr Lewis, who resigned last summer after allegations over financial irregularities and inappropriate behaviour.
Mr Cleverly has years of experience working with young people in the Army and in his Bexley and Bromley constituency. He has been involved informally with the Mayor's youth strategy since its implementation and sits on the Metropolitan Police Authority. He also chairs the Assembly's health committee which has been working on a report into youth and alcohol. His appointment will boost Mr Johnson's diversity credentials as he is of mixed race.
Already this week he has spent a day at a young offender institution in Kent and talked to major firms — thought to include EDF Energy and Sainsbury's — about providing work for ex-young offenders.
Talented and middle-class
There had been a feeling at City Hall that James Cleverly was an under-used asset.
Here was a young, bright, black Tory with a professional background, who was disarmingly approachable and spoke like a human being. Yet his biggest headlines were for volunteering to sit next to the BNP's Richard Barnbrook during Assembly sessions.
Now the Mayor has finally decided to use the father-of-two's talents. Cleverly, 39, has shown his competence in roles including on the LDA board and the Met Police Authority.
He has experience in youth work, both in his constituency and with the Territorial Army, where he was responsible for recruiting and training youngsters.
He doesn't pretend he had a rough youth himself: his middle-class parents sent him to a private school in Lewisham. But he realises there is no one reason why young people are drawn into crime – and no one solution. He wants to provide the opportunities to break that cycle.
Reader views (8)
We welcome the appointment of James Cleverly as London’s new ambassador for young people. Boris’ assessment that just because the issue of youth violence is out of the headlines doesn't mean that it’s important is spot on. Youth violence is still a daily cause of fear and distress for young people in the capital and we’re looking forward to working with James to implement intervention processes, which will divert the behaviour of young people who are heading towards the tipping point or “Gateway” to criminal and extreme antisocial behaviour.
All Londoners want to keep young Londoners safe, that surely means prevention, early intervention with an integrated approach from parents, teachers and the third sector.
- Emma-Jane Cross, Chief Executive, Beatbullying, London, UK
Very Cleverly done!
- Roz, Chamonix, France
Steve, london
Good point.
- James Hennessy, london england
He looks good Boris, keep it up.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
He's cute! Any chance he can work with some of us disruptive pensioners?
- Maire, London, UK
I have had the pleasure to meet James on a number of occasions and believe that he is a sincere individual, genuinely motivated by helping others. I wish him all the best.
- Jason B, UK
Sounds promising, no chips on his shoulders or political axes to grind. Good luck to him.
- Frank, Home Counties, England
Why does Boris always link young people and crime? Kit Malthouse is supposed focusing on policing – not that he's had any impact – so surely the ambassador for young people should focus on the other issues that occupy the minds of young people.
- Steve, London
