Witney News - Chairman and Cabinet appointed at District Council

Witney - A view from Church Green

Advertisements

Chairman and Cabinet appointed at District Council

Cllr Derek Cotterill will continue for a second year as Chairman of West Oxfordshire District Council after being re-elected at the Council’s Annual General Meeting today, Wednesday May 18 2011.

Cllr Louise Chapman, representative for Witney West, also continues for a second year as Deputy Chairman.

Cllr Cotterill, who represents Burford, took over as Chairman in 2010 after previously serving as Deputy Chair. He said he had enjoyed the past year as Chairman, representing the Council at civic and community events.

Following his re-election, he said: “I would like to thank the Council for its confidence in re-electing me for another year. We will carry on trying our best through these difficult times by protecting services as much as we possibly can and hopefully continue to run an efficient administrative machine.”

Cllr Barry Norton was re-elected as Leader of the Council and announced that Cabinet membership would remain the same, with only a few small changes to Cabinet roles and responsibilities due to changes in procedures.

He announced that Cllr Verena Hunt, Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, would become Deputy Leader of the Council.

Cllr Norton, who has served as Leader of the Council since the introduction of the Cabinet system ten years ago, thanked councillors for their on-going support and said: “I will continue to do my utmost on behalf of everyone in West Oxfordshire.”

He said that he felt the Cabinet was a “very strong team to take the Council forward” during a time of change due to the Government’s Localism Bill, bringing new challenges to the way the Council operates and engages with others, together with continued financial pressures.

The Cabinet portfolio arrangements are as follows:

Change, Improvement and Efficiency – Cllr Mark Booty
Cllr Booty continues in this role, which reflects the Council’s work on improving efficiency while continuing to provide high quality services. The portfolio covers aspects such as two-tier working, partnership arrangements, councillor development and performance management, as well as community and public health.

Environment – Cllr David Harvey
Cllr Harvey will continue to cover all areas of waste and recycling collections, climate changes, street cleansing and grounds maintenance, environmental enforcement and environmental health, as well as licensing, car parking and transport issues.

Housing and Community Safety – Cllr Verena Hunt (Deputy Leader)
Cllr Hunt continues with responsibility for all housing and homelessness issues, including affordable housing and sheltered housing. Her portfolio also includes community safety, dealing with issues such as crime and disorder, neighbourhood policing and police liaison, and supporting people. Cllr Hunt is also the Council’s ‘Elderly Persons’ Champion’.

Local Economy and Communities – Cllr Richard Langridge
Cllr Langridge continues with responsibility for economic development, rural development, business liaison, inward investment, parish and town council liaison and supporting the voluntary sector. As part of this portfolio, Cllr Langridge is responsible for tourism and Visitor Information Centres, sports and leisure facilities and strategy, arts and sports grants, lifelong learning and is the Council’s ‘Young Persons’ Champion’ and ‘Broadband Champion’.

Resources – Cllr Simon Hoare
Cllr Hoare remains in post covering finance and management, customer services, IT services, asset management, project management, human resources and equality and diversity, and ‘Procurement Champion’.

Strategic Planning – Cllr Warwick Robinson
Cllr Robinson remains on the Cabinet with responsibility for planning and development issues, including Regional Spatial Strategy, the Local Development Framework, Government planning policies and guidance, conservation and design, landscape/biodiversity, building control and ‘Design and Historic Environment
Champion for the district.

As well as the appointment of the Cabinet, the Council appointed members of its various committees, sub-committees and overview and scrutiny committees.

For more information about the Council, see www.westoxon.gov.uk and for more details about Councillors see www.westoxon.gov.uk/councillors.

Posted : 18/05/2011 16:56:06

Other recent Witney news items posted on the Witney website


Ultrafast broadband delivered to more than 10,000 properties in the District

More than 10,000 rural homes and businesses in West Oxfordshire now have access to ultrafast full-fibre internet, providing them with some of the fastest broadband speeds in the world. This milesto...


Residents and businesses urged to be patient as Covid-19 test centre is built in Witney

An NHS Covid-19 testing centre is to be built in Witney to improve support for residents. The building will be situated in the Woodford Way car park and is expected to remain for at least three mon...


Oxfordshire close to 'high' COVID-19 alert level

Residents are being advised to be extra vigilant, particularly over half-term, as cases of coronavirus continue to spread across the county. Evidence shows that, in the past two weeks, the virus ha...


West Oxfordshire Gym Data Reveals the Numbers of Locals that Returned to the Gym after lockdown

Better, the largest operator of municipal leisure facilities in the UK releases gym usage data since reopening: West Oxfordshire has seen a total of 20537 visits to their local gyms 26-34-year old...


View the full Witney Blog