Labour Councillor Eileen Blamire has been re-elected as the council’s leader for the next four years, elected by full Council at a meeting held last night (Tuesday) for a four year period.
Coun Blamire then appointed a Cabinet of a further seven members, all Labour councillors, following the recent elections which saw Labour win 29 seats, the Conservatives 19, the Green Party nine with two Morecambe Bay Independents and one Free Independent.
The members of the new Cabinet are Labour councillors Eileen Blamire, Janice Hanson (as Deputy Leader), Abbott Bryning, Darren Clifford, Karen Leytham, Coun David Smith, Coun Margaret Pattison and Richard Newman-Thompson.
Portfolios for each of the Cabinet members will be announced at a later date.
Also elected at the Council meeting were the chairmen of all the council’s committees.
Coun Nigel Goodrich (Conservative) was elected as chairman of Overview and Scrutiny, and he is joined by Coun Dave Brookes of the Green Party as Chairman of Budget and Performance Panel.
Coun Roger Sherlock (Labour) was elected as chairman of the Planning and Highways Regulatory Committee.
Other Committee chairmen appointed at the meeting were:
Coun Margaret Pattison (Labour) – Licensing Regulatory Committee
Coun Terrie Metcalfe (Labour) – Licensing Act Committee
Coun Liz Scott (Labour) – Personnel Committee
Coun Claire Cozler (Labour) – Appeals Committee
Coun Matt Mann (Labour) – Audit Committee
Coun Colin Hartley (Labour) – Standards Committee
Coun Janet Hall (Labour) – Council Business Committee
Council also appointed three champions: Coun Anne Whitehead (older people), Coun Tracy Brown (young people) and Coun Liz Scott (veterans).
Oh dear, this looks dire