The Conservative Group has announced who will be responsible for specific service areas on B&NES Council following the group's Annual General Meeting held on Thursday, 21st May.
As expected, Councillor Tim Warren (Conservative, Mendip) was elected as Leader of Council. He said: "I'm proud to lead the Cabinet, as we set to work on ensuring that the Council is efficient and well run; investing in the future and putting the interests of residents first – right across Bath and North East Somerset."
The seven further Conservative Cabinet members are: Councillor Charles Gerrish (Keynsham North) – Cabinet Member for Finance and Efficiency, Councillor Anthony Clarke (Lansdown) – Cabinet Member for Transport, Councillor Michael Evans (Midsomer Norton North) – Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Councillor Martin Veal (Bathavon North) – Cabinet Member for Community Services, Councillor Vic Pritchard (Chew Valley South) – Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, Councillor Marie Longstaff (Keynsham East) – Cabinet Member for Homes and Planning, and Councillor Patrick Anketell Jones (Lansdown) – Cabinet Member for Economic Development.
In addition, there are seven new roles of Cabinet Assistant. They will not be full members of the Cabinet, but will be aligned to each Cabinet portfolio and will assist the Cabinet Members in their roles – taking on specific responsibilities and helping to ensure delivery within that portfolio.
The Cabinet Assistants are – Finance and Efficiency: Councillor Paul May (Publow and Whitchurch), Transport: Councillor Matt Cochrane (Bathwick), Children's Services: Councillor Emma Dixon (Saltford), Community Services: Councillor Chris Pearce (Kingsmead), Adult Social Care and Health: Councillor Lisa O'Brien (Keynsham South), Homes and Planning: Councillor Bob Goodman (Combe Down) and Economic Development: Councillor Mark Shelford (Lyncombe).
The new Chairman of B&NES Council is Councillor Ian Gilchrist. The Vice-Chairman of Council is Councillor Alan Hale.
At the authority's Annual General Meeting, the Council's new Conservative Leader, Cllr Tim Warren, said that improving transport, investing in the local economy and getting the Council's finances back on track would all be at the top of the agenda for his new administration.
He said: "We've got a big task ahead of us and we're very humbled by the trust residents have put in us, but we've got a good team in place of talented individuals with fresh ideas and a clear vision for making our area an even better place to live."With the Council's new administration now officially appointed, we're ready to roll-up our sleeves and get on with the job of delivering on the commitments made during the election.
"There will be difficult decisions ahead, especially when it comes to finding the necessary budget savings within the Council, but B&NES is a great area with huge potential and I'm optimistic about what we can achieve in the next few years.
"There's one overriding theme running through everything we plan to do – and that's ensuring the interests of residents always come first. Does this proposal truly serve the interests of local residents? That will be the litmus test we will apply to all decisions in the Council. 'Residents first' was on the front page of our manifesto and that is the approach we will take to running the Council over the next four years."