Council Leader Unveils New Cabinet
Two new faces promoted from the backbenches to serve as cabinet members
Top row left to right Kim Caddy, Jonathan Cook, Guy Humphries & Paul Ellis. Middle row John Locker, Sarah McDermott, Will Sweet and Guy Senior. Bottom row Rory O'Broin, Steffi Sutters, Clare Salier and Ravi Govindia
Ravi Govindia has announced the local councillors who will serve alongside him as members of his new cabinet, following the borough council elections earlier this month.
The appointments, which were endorsed on Wednesday (16th May) at Wandsworth’s annual council meeting, will see two new faces promoted from the backbenches to serve as cabinet members – Councillors Rory O’Broin and John Locker.
Those serving in the new cabinet are:
Councillor Jonathan Cook - Deputy leader of the council and cabinet member for strategic planning and transport. Re-elected as a Shaftesbury ward councillor in Battersea, Cllr Cook will be responsible for overseeing policies on transport improvements and infrastructure, including roads, pavements and parking, along with the town hall’s liaison with organisations like the rail and bus companies and Transport for London (TfL). He will also be responsible for updating and reviewing overall planning guidelines and policies on redevelopment in the borough, including identifying sites where new homes and other key community infrastructure should be provided.
Councillor Steffi Sutters – Cabinet member for community services & open spaces. Re-elected in West Putney ward, Cllr Sutters’ new role covers a wide range of responsibilities including recycling, waste collection, street cleaning, the management and maintenance of the borough’s parks and commons, provision of sports and leisure facilities, libraries, environmental protection issues, trading standards, consumer protection and crime prevention and reduction.
Councillor Paul Ellis – Cabinet for adult social care and health. Cllr Ellis, who was re-elected in Balham ward, retains his cabinet role which sees him lead the council’s work in supporting elderly and vulnerable residents to ensure they receive high quality social care. His position also involves close partnership working with NHS providers and with neighbouring boroughs to ensure residents are able to access high quality community healthcare services.
Councillor Kim Caddy – Cabinet member for housing. Elected again in Southfields ward Cllr Caddy has been given responsibility for the borough’s housing portfolio, ensuring that tenants and leaseholders living on council estates or in council-owned housing blocks continue to receive excellent housing services, that their homes are well maintained and managed, that repairs are dealt with swiftly and efficiently and that housing blocks meet the highest standards of cleanliness and safety. Her role also includes supporting homeless people and ensuring they are provided with decent homes to live in.
Councillor Sarah McDermott – Cabinet member for children’s services. Cllr McDermott, who was re-elected in Nightingale ward, retains cabinet responsibility for all services relating to children and young people, including schools and educational standards, youth club provision and ensuring vulnerable children at risk of harm or neglect are supported and protected. Her role also covers adoption and fostering services and supporting young care leavers making the transition from care to independent living.
Councillor Rory O’Broin – Cabinet member for economic development, skills and employment. Promoted to the cabinet for the first time, Fairfield ward Cllr O’Broin takes over the key town hall role of liaising with and supporting local businesses, including leading Wandsworth’s efforts to shape business rates reform and providing grants and other support to help local businesses grow and thrive. Cllr O’Broin will also lead the council’s work in promoting and supporting apprenticeships and other local training and employment opportunities, especially for young people.
Councillor Guy Senior – Cabinet member for finance and corporate resources. Re-elected in Battersea’s Shaftesbury ward, Cllr Senior retains responsibility for all aspects of town hall financial management, including setting all departmental budgets and ensuring taxpayers get the best possible value for their money. Cllr Senior’s role includes scrutinising and challenging all departments to iron out waste and duplication and ensuring that all town hall assets are being used efficiently, ensuring Wandsworth retains its long standing reputation as a highly efficient, innovative low tax authority.
Councillor John Locker – Cabinet member for Communications. Representing Thamesfield ward in Putney, Cllr Locker joins the cabinet to take charge of the way the council communicates with local residents, ensuring not only that the council’s aims and ambitions are transparent and open to scrutiny by local people, but to also ensure that their concerns and aspirations are heard and addressed by senior council officers and cabinet members and that feedback provided by local people is acted upon.
Cllr Govindia has also reappointed Fairfield ward Councillor Will Sweet as chairman of the planning applications committee. Cllr Sweet will chair the committee of local councillors that determines all planning applications in the borough. Although not a cabinet position, Cllr Sweet will attend cabinet meetings.
In his retained role as chairman of the regulatory licensing committee Southfields Councillor Guy Humphries will have responsibility for ensuring that all licensed premises in the borough such as pubs, bars and restaurants are complying with the council’s licensing policies and objectives especially those drawn up to protect the public from any adverse impacts from this sector of the economy. Although able to attend cabinet meetings, the role of licensing chairman is not a cabinet post.
Balham ward councillor Cllr Clare Salier is stepping down from the cabinet but will serve as chair of the audit committee which oversees the work carried out by the council’s anti-fraud teams to ensure that the public purse is protected and taxpayers’ are not “ripped off”.
Speaking after the annual council meeting approved his new cabinet, Cllr Govindia said: “This new cabinet is packed with smart, hard working, and energetic councillors who are dedicated to public service and to ensuring the council serves all the people of Wandsworth and gives them a local council that listens and is fair and responsive and fully committed to providing the best quality public services and improving the day-to-day lives of everyone in our community.
“I would also like to thank Clare Salier for all her efforts as cabinet member for housing. She worked tirelessly and successfully to improve the lives of people living on our estates and served our tenants and leaseholders with great distinction. In the equally crucial role of audit committee chairman she will continue to be a tireless and powerful advocate for the people of Wandsworth and their best interests.”
May 18, 2018