MPA APPOINTS NEW MET DIRECTOR OF PROPERTY SERVICES

15 May 2002 12:14 PM

Alan Croney has been appointed as the Metropolitan Police Service's new Director of Property Services. He will be responsible for the Authority's estate, valued in excess of £650m, with some 200 staff and two major outsourced contracts, which generates in excess of £65m income a year as part of the Met's £2bn budget.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Croney said:

"I am greatly looking forward to the challenges and opportunities facing the Property Services Directorate. In particular I am looking forward to meeting the team whose experience and knowledge will be invaluable in helping Property Services deliver its contribution to the Policing Plan and help deliver the safest major city in the world. I also firmly believe in getting 'out and about' and will want to experience at first hand the operational aspects of the estate."

Mr Croney, 47, is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. His early career was with the London Borough of Barnet, Laing Properties and Frogmore Estates, then moving on to hold senior positions with London Docklands Development Corporation (Estates Manager), Thames Water (Group Property Manager) and W H Smith Group plc (member of the Property Board responsible for European estates and insurance).

More recently Mr Croney has been an Executive Director with London First and then UK Business Development Director of a construction technology company, before setting up his own independent consulting practice. He has also been a Director of a West of England Chamber of Commerce, a Board member of London Regeneration Projects and was involved in the property strategy work of the London Development Partnership.

Throughout his career Mr Croney has been involved in large projects and management of property estates - many going through major operational change. He has worked on joint ventures in both commercial and residential projects and has wider business experience of corporate mergers and acquisitions.

Nicholas Long, Chair of the MPA Estates Sub-Committee and member of the selection panel, said:

"I am looking forward to seeing Alan continue the changes initiated under the MPA, particularly in the way that the Estate is viewed, managed and used. We will be working closely together on developing the emerging longer-term strategy. Alan comes to the Met at an exciting moment in the development of a fresh strategy, inheriting a strong base but with plenty of opportunity for change. I look forward to working closely with Alan and having the benefit of his professional advice."

The Director of Property Services is one of six Directors reporting to Keith Luck, Director of Resources, and will be a member of the Resources Board. A key responsibility will be to work with the MPA Estates Sub-Committee.

Mr Croney will join the MPS on Monday 20 May, allowing for a short handover period from Trevor Lawrence who retires at the end of May 2002 after nearly 14 years service.

NOTES TO EDITORS

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