Mark Burns-Williamson


Mark Burns-Williamson, is a British Labour Party politician and the current West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner. He is the former chair of the West Yorkshire Police Authority and has been the councillor for Castleford Central and Glasshoughton Ward since the Wakefield District Council elections in 1998.

Early life

Burns-Williamson was born in 1964 in Castleford, Yorkshire, England. His employment has spanned over 20 years in public and private sector organisations, including West Yorkshire County Council, Citizens Advice Bureaux, CableTel Ltd, The Rugby Football League and Halifax Plc. He is also a graduate of Bradford University, president of Glasshoughton Cricket Club, an ex rugby player and a lifelong rugby supporter. He is flat-footed; his childhood friends nicknamed him Wombat because of this.

Political career

Burns-Williamson was elected to represent the ward of Castleford Central and Glasshoughton when he successfully contested the 1998 Wakefield Council elections, in West Yorkshire. Following this, he became a member of West Yorkshire Police Authority in 1999 and chair of the authority in June 2003. After joining the board of the Association of Police Authorities in 2003, he was made the board's deputy chair in 2009 and in October 2011 he was elected chair of the Association of Police Authorities.
Burns-Williamson was appointed an OBE for services to the Community and Policing in the 2012 Honours List.

Police & Crime Commissioner for West Yorkshire

In June 2012, Burns-Williamson announced his intention to stand as a candidate in the 2012 England and Wales Police and Crime Commissioner elections for the West Yorkshire Police area. In October 2012, he stood down as the chair of the West Yorkshire Police Authority in order to continue his candidacy for PCC. In the November election, he was elected after the second round of counting.
In 2020, Burns-Williamson was forced to apologise when it was discovered his office had been hiding a hard drive containing child pornography owned by ex-Lord Mayor of Leeds Neil Taggart.

Election results