The Committee for Home Affairs has put forward its recommendations for three members to join Guernsey’s Police Complaints Commission.
Willem van Zanten, Jemma Welsh, and Lisa Evans will all join the panel to review police complaints if the States back them.
The recommendations follow an open recruitment process to fill vacancies left by a resignation, another member reaching their term limit, and one member taking up a role within the States of Guernsey meaning they are no longer eligible.
Home Affairs commended each in various ways.
Mr van Zanten, a local business owner with experience on the Guernsey Crime Prevention Panel and with Crimestoppers was described as bringing in an “outside perspective” which would benefit the Commission’s work.
In the committee’s proposal, Home Affairs said “Mr van Zanten showed a clear motivation to contribute to public service and independent oversight. Mr van Zanten demonstrated his ability to handle differing viewpoints constructively and drew on his personal experience resolving workplace issues through discussion and fairness.
They continued: “The Commission considered Mr van Zanten would bring a fresh perspective from outside finance/compliance which would be beneficial in the Commission’s continued work.”
Ms Welsh is the Managing Director of Tarian Trust. She has more than 25 years experience in compliance, governance, and regulated decision-making.
Home Affairs said Ms Welsh’s career “requires the interpretation of complex regulatory and governance information, and she has significant experience with structured decision-making, appeals-type processes, and ensuring matters meet regulatory criteria, all of which directly parallel Commission’s work”.
“The Commission considered that Ms Welsh’s extensive compliance background, integrity, and her commitment to procedural clarity and fairness would add strong value to the Commission,” it added.
Ms Evans is an Advocate and the current Legal Aid Commissioner and her career background includes senior legal roles at Specsavers and the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.
Recommending Ms Evans for the role, Home Affairs said she “showed excellent understanding of the Commission’s role and its supporting legislation.
“She spoke confidently about procedural safeguards, and her familiarity with appeals work, statutory reviews, and public-facing decision-making means she is well positioned to scrutinise case material objectively.”