The Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council has revealed its frontbench line up.
Cllr John Calway (Con, Longwell Green), who has been re-elected Conservative Group Leader after seeing the number of Conservative councillors increase to 34, has appointed the group’s frontbench team:
- Cllr Brian Allinson (Con, Stoke Gifford) – Planning, Transportation and Strategic Environment
- Cllr Sheila Cook (Con, Almondsbury) – Children and Young People
- Cllr Heather Goddard (Con, Hanham) – Health, External Affairs and Partnership Development
- Cllr John Goddard (Con, Hanham) – Corporate Affairs
- Cllr James Hunt (Con, Emersons Green) – Communities
- Cllr Matthew Riddle (Con, Severn) – Community Care and Housing
A number of changes have been made after some councillors stood down from the Conservative frontbench.
John Godwin (Con, Winterbourne) has asked to return to the backbenches to free up time for other interests and pursuits and Allan Higgs stood down as a Winterbourne councillor after several decades of service.
New frontbench additions include James Hunt and John Goddard, who take charge of the Communities and Corporate Affairs portfolios respectively for the Conservatives.
In a sideways move, Heather Goddard moves from the Communities portfolio to head up the expanding portfolio of health and ever closer partnership working between business and different public bodes, like the police.
Commenting on the line up, Cllr Calway said:
“Our newly enlarged Conservative Group has a top team that’s promising to work with residents to deliver even better value for money, make our district even greener, safer and more prosperous by strengthening our local economy and investing in our schools so our children have the best possible start in life.”
“Because we have used the last four years to prepare for the present tough times that the previous Labour government’s out-of-control public spending has led us to, this council is one of the most well-prepared authorities in the country to deal with its expected and understandable reduction in government funding.”
“After the Annual Council meeting (on Wednesday 25th May), we hope to be able to continue with our strategy of eliminating what remains of the waste, inefficiency and duplication in the system in order to continue to protect and improve the services that our fellow residents want.”
Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council
