About

Jimmy Spratt is currently a Councillor and Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and has a wealth of policing experience having served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary for over 30 years. Jimmy served as Chairman of the Police Federation and was negotiator for pay and conditions for the entire British Police Service.

Jimmy was elected to Castlereagh Borough Council in 2005 representing the Castlereagh South area. He has been an active member on the Council and served as Mayor in 2005. He is also leader of the DUP group at Castlereagh. Jimmy has chaired a number of committees including Planning and the District Policing Partnership and is the current Chair of the Castlereagh Hills Golf Club Board. He also sits on the Board of Governors at Moneyreagh Primary School as well as the Leisure Park Board which is responsible for the Dundonald Ice Bowl.

Jimmy represents the Council on a number of external organisations and is a former Chairman of the National Association of Regional Employers. He has also served as Chairman of the Northern Ireland Joint Council since 2005. This role gives Jimmy responsibility for pay and conditions for local government staff in Northern Ireland and is a member of the National Joint Council in London dealing with pay and conditions for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Jimmy was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly to represent South Belfast in 2007, topping the poll. He served as Vice-Chairman of the Committee for Employment and Learning from 2007-2008 and has been Chairman of the Assembly and Executive Review Committee in the NI Assembly since 2008. This committee was tasked with resolving issues around the devolution of policing and justice. He has also been a Member of the Committee of the Office of First and Deputy First Minister since 2007 and this committee has considered a wide variety of issues affecting older people, children, victims and ethnic minorities.

Jimmy was a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board from 2008-2011. He chaired the Human Resources Committee and was also a member of the Corporate Policy, Planning and Performance Committee. During his time on the Policing Board, Jimmy co-chaired a Panel reviewing Police Injury on Duty Pensions alongside senior officials from the Department of Justice.

Since his re-election to the Assembly in 2011, Jimmy was appointed Chairman of the Regional Development committee which deals with issues ranging from roads and airports to public transport and water.

Jimmy is married with four sons. He is an active member of his local Presbyterian church and enjoys reading, walking and current affairs.