This week the newly strengthened Tory controlled Somerset County Council held it’s first meeting. Leigh Redman,leader of the County Labour group describes what happened.
The first full council of this new quadrennium happened this morning and saw our newly re-elected county councillors meet the new leader of the Tory council David Fothergill, the election saw the conservative group returned with a larger majority of 15, the breakdown sees 35 tory, 12 lib-dem, 3 Labour, 3 indies and 2 green.
New Tory leadership
The council meeting was mainly for the new leader to be endorsed by council and to elect a new chairman and vice and saw William Wallace take the chairs role and Peter Burridge-Clayton as his vice.
The first couple weeks of a new council sees a lot of discussions between group leaders to try and sort out council committee places, this term all opposition have agreed to try and work in a cohesive manner to hold a cash strapped council to account, I am optimistic with the new leader who appears to be a diplomat which could be seen as a change from the previous leader and I feel important in these times of austerity.”
Cllr Fothergill announced his cabinet:-
- Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategy and Customers & Communities – David Fothergill
- Finance and Economic Development – David Hall
- Adult Social Care – David Huxtable
- Children and Families – Frances Nicholson
- Highways and Transport – John Woodman
- Corporate and Community Services – Anna Groskop
- Public Health and Well-Being – Christine Lawrence
COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS
Most committees see political proportionality as the way seats are divided, the tories will have the majority of places on committees, with lib-Dem second and others share what’s left with a little wheeling and dealing taking place (it is very complicated ask if you want more info), tory chairs and vice except Scrutiny committees where the chair is an opposition councillor, but the committees looked like this:-
REGULATION COMMITTEE (9 members)
Chairman: John Parham Vice-Chairman: Nigel Hewitt-Cooper
Con- Dean Ruddle, Nigel Taylor, Mike Pullin, Mark Keating.
Lib-Dem Tony Lock, Andy Kendall
Green John Clarke
Named substitutes – Dave Loveridge, Simon Coles & Hazel Prior-Sankey
SCRUTINY FOR POLICIES AND PLACE COMMITTEE
Chairman: Tony Lock Vice-Chairman: Mike Lewis
Con- Mike Lewis, Philip Ham, Terry Napper, John Thorne, Dean Ruddle, Bob Filmer
Lib-dem -Alan Wedderkopp
Independent – John Hunt
SCRUTINY FOR POLICIES, ADULTS AND HEALTH COMMITTEE
Chairman: Hazel Prior-Sankey Vice-Chairman: Rod Williams
Con -Rod Williams, Mike Caswell, Graham Noel, Mark Keating, Mandy Chilcott
Lib-Dem Hazel Prior-Sankey, Bill Revans
Labour -Andrew Govier
SCRUTINY FOR POLICIES, CHILDREN & FAMILIES
Chairman: Leigh Redman Vice-Chairman: Mike Pullin
Con- Nigel Hewitt-Cooper, Josh Williams, Neil Bloomfield, Ann Bown, 1 tbc
Lib-Dem- Jane Lock
Green – Martin Dimery
Voting non-elected representatives for the consideration of education matters only:
Parent Gov Reps (2) Schools COMPACT (1) Schools Forum (1) Church Rep (3)
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Chairman: Dean Ruddle Vice-Chairman: Neil Bloomfield
Con -Faye Purbrick, Gemma Verdon, Mike Caswell, Bob Filmer
Lib-Dem Simon Coles, Jane Lock
Independent Mike Rigby
PENSIONS COMMITTEE (4 elected members)
Chairman: Graham Noel
Con -James Hunt, Giuseppe Frashini & Lib-Dem Simon Coles
4 voting non-elected representatives
HR POLICY COMMITTEE (6 elected members)
Chairman: Anna Groskop (This Committee is chaired by the Cabinet member with responsibility for HR issues)
Linda Oliver, Mandy Chilcott, Philip Ham, Lib-Dem Liz Leyshon & Labour Leigh Redman
CONSTITUTION AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE (5 elected members and 5 co-opted members)
Chairman: Nigel Taylor
Membership – elected members: (political proportionality requirements waved by the Council – all political groups represented – 1 member each)
Nigel Taylor, Simon Coles, Dave Loveridge, Hugh Davies & Martin Dimery
DEVON AND SOMERSET COMBINED FIRE AUTHORITY
(8 members) Chairman’s appointment is made by the Fire Authority itself
SCC’s Membership: Ann Bown, Mark Healey, William Wallace, Terry Napper, Peter Burridge-Clayton, LIB-Dem Simon Coles & Mike Best with Labour Leigh Redman
EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY (4 members)
SCC’s Membership: Frances Nicholson, Christine Lawrence, James Hunt & Lib-Dem Bill Revan