A new Independent Chair appointed by Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner has led her 1st Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Scrutiny Panel today, marking an important step in strengthening oversight and accountability in how cases are handled across the Region.

Lynn Collins has been appointed by Emily Spurrell to chair the panel with the aim of further enhancing scrutiny of VAWG cases by reviewing anonymised cases to assess whether decisions were appropriate, identify opportunities for improvement and make practical recommendations to strengthen future investigations and outcomes.

Made up of key partners across the public and specialist support sector, the VAWG Scrutiny Panel examines cases where the police have taken a decision of No Further Action (NFA) due to insufficient evidence or when a victim does not wish to pursue the case (Outcome 15 and 16 cases).

This process is designed to help identify areas for learning, support improvements in policing practice and build greater public confidence.

Lynn was appointed earlier this year following an open recruitment process announced by the PCC as part of her ongoing work to continuously improve how Merseyside Police responds to gender-based crimes and chaired her 1st meeting today (Tuesday, 19 May 2026).

She is currently Director of Representation and Organising at the Royal College of Midwives. She previously served as Equalities and Inclusion Advisor at the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and to Mayor Steve Rotherham, where she helped establish Equality Panels and led community consultations. She was also Regional Secretary for the TUC North West, representing 800,000 workers across 48 trade unions.

Appointing an independent Chair is another step forward in the PCC’s work to Take Action against Violence against Women and Girls, particularly by increasing transparency and accountability in how cases are investigated and identifying where more could be done to bring perpetrators to justice.

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:- “Violence against women and girls continues to have a devastating impact on far too many lives, and we are determined to do everything we can to improve both the response and the outcomes for victims. Bringing in an Independent Chair to lead this scrutiny panel ensures there is strong, external oversight of how these difficult cases are handled. I’m really pleased to have Lynn on board. She brings a wealth of experience in equalities and a clear passion for addressing injustice. I hope her appointment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement. These panels are designed to help us better understand where more could have been done, learn from those cases and make meaningful changes so victims can have greater confidence in the system.”

Independent Chair of the VAWG Scrutiny Panel Lynn Collins said:- “Throughout my career, I have been committed to challenging inequality and supporting women and girls, so I am proud to take on this role. Leading my 1st panel has highlighted just how important it is to look closely at these cases, ask the right questions and ensure every opportunity for learning is identified. Independent scrutiny plays a vital role in strengthening the response to violence against women and girls, and I am committed to working with partners to help improve outcomes and build confidence for victims across Merseyside.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Lamb, Head of Centralised Public Protection Unit, Merseyside Police said:- “I would like to welcome Lynn to her role as Independent Chair. Her experience and independent perspective will be invaluable in strengthening the way we scrutinise and learn from these cases. The panel plays a vital role in helping us improve the quality of service we provide to victim-survivors through open and transparent scrutiny of cases where decisions have been made to take no further action. Working closely with partners, we can ensure victims’ voices are heard, learn from our decisions and continue to strengthen our response to violence against women and girls. Ultimately, this work will help build confidence among victims and communities in how we investigate these offences and provide support.”

The panel will meet quarterly throughout the year, providing ongoing independent scrutiny of cases and helping to drive improvements in investigations, victim care and partnership working.

Its work will directly support the delivery of Merseyside’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, which focuses on preventing harm, protecting victims and pursuing perpetrators, while ensuring the voices of women and girls remain at the heart of efforts to tackle these crimes.