Witney News - Cabinet change at West Oxfordshire D.C.

Cabinet change at West Oxfordshire D.C.

West Oxfordshire District Council has a new Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Economic Development.

Cllr Warwick Robinson takes over from Cllr Verena Hunt, who has stepped down from the Cabinet after 7 years. Cllr Hunt remains as Ward Councillor for Brize Norton and Shilton, and is Chairman of the Lowlands Area Planning Sub-Committee and a Member of the Development Control Committee and Urgency Committee.

The change was announced during the appointment of the Executive for 2008/09 at the Council’s Annual Meeting on May 14th, following elections in a third of the District’s seats.

Cllr Barry Norton was re-elected as Leader of the Council and announced that Cllr Robinson’s appointment was the only change to the Cabinet for the coming year. All other Members remain the same, retaining the same responsibilities.

Cllr Robinson was first elected to the Council in 2000. He is Ward Councillor for Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield and for the past 4 years has chaired the Council’s Development Control Committee and Lowlands Area Planning Sub-Committee. He will continue to sit on the Development Control Committee and is also a Member of the Uplands Area Planning Sub-Committee, and the Audit and General Purposes Committee.

He said: “I am sad that Verena has not been able to carry on as a Cabinet Member as she has been a superb Councillor, and we are all grateful for everything she has done. I am proud and honoured to have been asked to take over from her. I have eight years’ experience with the Council and I am looking forward to building on this to face the new challenges that lie ahead.”

Cllr Norton paid tribute to Cllr Hunt for all the hard work she had done as a Cabinet Member and welcomed Cllr Robinson as her replacement.

He said: “Warwick has a great deal of experience on planning issues and I am confident he will be a valuable addition to the Cabinet.”

He thanked Members for re-electing him as Leader and said: “I shall continue to work hard on behalf of all the people of West Oxfordshire over the next 12 months.”

Other Cabinet portfolio arrangements are as follows:

Cllr David Harvey is Cabinet Member for Environment, covering all aspects of waste and recycling collections, Environmental Enforcement, climate change and energy advice, as well as Licensing.
Cllr Hilary Biles is Cabinet Member for Leisure, Tourism and Health, covering Sports, Leisure, Arts Development, Tourism, Community and Public Health, and Supporting People. She is also Champion for Young and Elderly Persons.
Cllr Simon Hoare is Cabinet Member for Resources, including Finance and Management, Customer Services, IT services, Project Management and Asset Management.
Cllr Mark Booty is Member for Change and Improvement, covering areas such as Improved Two-Tier Working, Partnership Arrangements, Performance Management and the Efficiency Agenda.
Cllr Jill Dunsmore is Member for Communities and, with responsibility for issues such as Community Development and Grants, Support to the Voluntary Sector, Community Safety, Crime and Disorder, Police liaison, Housing and Homelessness, and Affordable Housing Provision.

Cllr Roger Curry was re-elected as Chairman of the Council and Cllr Derek Cotterill was re-elected as Vice Chairman.