O.B.E. is a Conservative politician and has served as the Sussex Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) since 2012. She was  re-elected for a fourth term in 2024. She was raised and schooled in Sussex before graduating from Aberystwyth University. She still lives in mid-Sussex, is married to Kevin and has two adult sons. She was a successful businesswoman before entering politics.

Katy’s role as PCC is to hold the Chief Constable of Sussex Police to account for the performance of the Force, working to make the police answerable to the communities they serve. Katy is responsible for setting the strategic direction and priorities for Sussex Police through the Police & Crime Plan, which includes setting the police budget and local police precept.

Katy also has a statutory duty to commission support services for victims of crime and to deliver community safety initiatives. She is deeply committed to improve the criminal justice response to crimes such as stalking, sexual and domestic abuse and the exploitation and abuse of elders.

Katy said:

“I am honoured to take up the role of Conservative Patron for the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal. Mary Clarke was a courageous woman who gave her life fighting for women’s right to vote. Her determination and sacrifice remind us of the importance of standing up for equality and justice, even in the face of adversity. As Police & Crime Commissioner, I have seen how far we have come in creating opportunities for women in policing and public life, but we must never forget those who paved the way. Supporting this Appeal is about recognising Mary’s message and memory and ensuring future generations understand the value of democratic rights and the courage it took to secure them. I am delighted to help champion this important cause.” 

Katy opened the recent FiLiA international women’s liberation conference at Brighton Conference Centre, with a powerful speech in support of women’s rights. We were very grateful to Katy because we were able to follow this with an appeal for support for the statue which proved very successful.  

11th October at the Brighton Centre, attended by 2,400 women.  As a direct result we raised over £1250 in individual donations. We are so grateful to FiLiA for the platform it gave us.

Our Chair Jean Calder was invite to speak for 10 minutes in the opening session, just after Katy Bourne, Sussex

Police and Crime Commissioner, who opened the conference, followed by Jenny Stroud and Sue Delafons of the wonderful Brighton & Hove Women’s History Group.

Jean Calder said: “It was nerve-wracking speaking to such a huge audience, but it seemed to go well. There was a great deal of interest at our stall from women from all over the country – and the world. We spoke to women from from Devon to Corby and the north of Scotland, and from Australia to Canada and the DR Congo. Mary’s story fascinated them. Several said they were moved to tears by her courage and the fact she’d been forgotten. We believe the statue will be a huge draw to international visitors. Several promised they would come back to see it.”

FiLiA is a charity operating across many countries which campaigns, it says, “for a world free from patriarchy where all women and girls are liberated.” The people attending the conference heard from 250 speakers from around the world. In a series of talks and workshops, there was discussion of a range of topics affecting women – from maternity rights and birth defects due to industrial pollution, through to rape in war and all forms of sexual and domestic violence (or as some speakers called it ‘state-torture’ and ‘non-state torture’). The primary focus was on how to combat violence against women and girls.

In that regard, it was disappointing to witness each morning aggressive noisy protesters hurling abuse at the women going in to the Centre. They did not succeed in disrupting the conference and thanks are due for this to FiLiA personnel, Brighton Centre staff and officers of Sussex Police.

We are very grateful to FiLiA. Its remarkable work largely relies on the work of volunteers.  We know how difficult that can be, especially in such challenging times.