Agenda item

LEADER'S ANNOUNCEMENTS - APPOINTMENT OF CABINET AND APPOINTMENT OF DEPUTY LEADER

Minutes:

Councillor Phil Davies, having been elected Leader of the Council, gave an acceptance speech and thanked the outgoing Leader, Councillor Jeff Green, for his services to Wirral during his tenure.

 

Councillor Davies indicated that he would take on the portfolio of Finance, with key responsibility for the Budget. He confirmed the appointment of Councillor Ann McLachlan as Deputy Leader of the Council, who would take on a new portfolio of Improvement and Governance. Councillor George Davies would take on the portfolio of Housing and Community Safety and, in the light of the heavy workload ahead, would also serve as second deputy. The full list of Cabinet appointments were as follows:

 

Portfolio

Councillor

Party

Address

Ward

 

 

 

 

 

Finance

Phil Davies

Leader of the Council

Labour

16 Westbourne Grove

West Kirby

Wirral CH48 4DL

Birkenhead and Tranmere

Improvement and Governance

Ann McLachlan

Deputy Leader

Labour

6 The Pier Watersedge Apartments

Tower Promenade

Wallasey

Wirral CH45 2PP

Bidston and St James

Housing and Community Safety

George Davies

Labour

46 Shamrock Road

Claughton

Birkenhead

Wirral CH41 0EQ

Claughton

Corporate Resources

Adrian Jones

Labour

10 Elmswood Road

Seacombe

Wallasey

Wirral CH44 8DB

Seacombe

Children’s Services and Lifelong Learning

Tony Smith

Labour

27 South Drive

Upton

Wirral CH49 6LA

Upton

Adult Social Care and Public Health

Anne McArdle

Labour

6 Bangor Road

Wallasey

Wirral CH45 8JD

Leasowe and Moreton East

Environment

Brian Kenny

Labour

24 South Drive

Upton

Wirral CH49 6LA

Birkenhead and Tranmere

Culture, Leisure and Tourism

Chris Meaden

Labour

19 Inglemere Road

Rock Ferry

Birkenhead

Wirral CH42 4QL

Rock Ferry

Regeneration and Planning Strategy

Pat Hackett

Labour

7 Wood Lane

Wallasey

Wirral CH45 8QP

New Brighton

Streetscene and Transport Services

Harry Smith

Labour

25 Holmlands Drive

Oxton

Birkenhead

Wirral CH43 OQY

Bidston and St James

 

Councillor Davies outlined his intention to review and update the detailed responsibilities of each portfolio and also to reallocate the responsibilities currently within the Community and Customer Engagement portfolio. He commented that some responsibilities may be shared between all portfolios, but there would be specific responsibilities; for example, for equalities, for consultation and for Mayoral Services, that would need to be specifically allocated to an individual portfolio. He would also ensure that each portfolio represented, where necessary, new duties as well as established ones to truly reflect the operation of the Council in the coming years. The revised portfolios and any amended titles would be circulated as soon as they were completed.

 

He confirmed also that the Scheme of Delegation of functions to Officers as far as it related to Executive functions would continue.

 

In the interests of openness and transparency, Councillor Davies proposed to establish a Leaders’ Board, to include all three Group Leaders, with a view to bringing much needed stability to the Council. He also set out the key priorities for his administration, which included a need to make rapid progress on the improvement agenda and to make progress on Members’ Training and Development. He confirmed his commitment to the Skills Wirral Programme and indicated his continued support for the Democracy Working Group.

 

Councillor Davies commented that a key priority was the creation and retention of jobs. He recognised the value of Council staff and he praised both officers and Members for their lobbying to secure the future of Vauxhalls in Ellesmere Port. He commented also that the party leaders would be visiting China in the coming days to finalise the agreement for the International Trade Centre, which would see the largest Chinese investment to date in the UK.

 

Resolved – That the Leader’s comments and Cabinet appointments be noted.