Harlow Council leader confirms new cabinet responsibilities
News / Sat 3rd Jun 2023 at 09:57am
THE newly elected Leader of Harlow Council, Councillor Dan Swords, has confirmed the different responsibilities for each of his five cabinet members.
As Leader of the Council, Councillor Swords will provide strategic and political leadership for the council, driving forward the administration’s priorities across all portfolio areas. The Leader of the Council will also oversee regeneration project delivery. These projects include town centre, Princess Alexandra Hospital, UK Health Security Agency, Harlow Regeneration Partnership, council housebuilding programme and estate and neighbourhood renewal schemes.
His cabinet members and their responsibilities are:
Councillor David Carter
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Housing
The Deputy Leader of the Council deputises for the Leader of the Council and supports and assists the leader in providing effective political leadership and strategic direction for the Council. The Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Housing will drive continuous improvement to the council’s housing services and provisions with particular focus on improving asset management, repairs and maintenance, major works programmes and tenant and leaseholder engagement. A comprehensive programme to clear the backlog of housing repairs and furthermore transform the structural and aesthetic state of the council’s housing property portfolio will be at the foremost of this portfolio.
Councillor Nicky Purse
Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment
This role will drive continuous improvement to the council’s grounds maintenance (grass cutting and hedges), street cleansing, environmental health, and licensing services. A clear focus on restoring pride in Harlow in respect of street scene is at the foremost of this portfolio. Embedding sustainability, exploiting the opportunities of the green industrial revolution and the drive towards net zero, and the enhancement of biodiversity, to further improve Harlow’s green beauty, will run throughout the work of this portfolio.
Councillor James Leppard
Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Finance and Governance
The role is responsible for making the council more efficient and effective, and ensuring that priorities are delivered as quickly as possible with maximum value for money to the taxpayer. That means reforming council processes and systems to modernise and enhance the way the council carries out its work and delivers services for the benefit of residents and the town.
Councillor Stacy Seales
Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Community
This role will enhance Harlow’s community spirit, in partnership with community groups, faith groups, charities and residents. The council will improve its discretionary service offerings and maximise the events and services offered from its discretionary service assets. Discretionary services include Harlow Playhouse, Pets’ Corner, Harlow Museum, paddling pools, and splash parks. Tackling anti-social behaviour and making Harlow a better place to live, work and raise a family will be at the forefront of this portfolio.
Councillor Michael Hardware
Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Economic Development
This role will lead the drive to grow Harlow’s economy with inward investment, better infrastructure and flourishing local businesses. Harlow will sit at the heart of the UK Innovation Corridor and drive the Harlow Gilston Garden Town project for the benefit of Harlow and its people. Relationships with strategic partners will be strengthened to join-up Harlow’s fantastic story and secure maximum investment and benefit from the opportunities that lie ahead. This portfolio takes on responsibility for planning, development management and planning control and will also work closely with the Leader of the Council on regeneration project delivery.
The full document outlining all the responsibilities can be read at https://moderngov.harlow.gov.uk/documents/s23691/Appendix%20A%20-%20Portfolio%20Holder%20Delegations%202023-24.pdf
Contact details for councillors can be found at https://moderngov.harlow.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1
David Forman
2023-06-03 20:54:17
Try collecting the premium green waste bins on time. Two fortnightly collections in a row are not collected on time. Bins sit on my drive full to the brim all over the weekend. Veolia only seem able to reliably collect green waste in the winter when nothing is growing. Rather defeats the object of paying £48 extra for the service. Perhaps residents will resort to fly tipping instead?
Bruce Downey
2023-06-04 05:11:28
The in-crowd 🫡
Kim Oconnor
2023-06-04 08:51:55
Regeneration regeneration. While the rest of Harlow falls apart. The Gilston Garden project s, is going to destroy our precious, loved river stort valley in abundance. Bringing more and more people into Harlow, thousands of more cars on our roads. And all this not helping Harlow one little bit, because we will not be able to afford them. Destruction, vandalism at its best, and only benefiting people who can afford theses unaffordable housing estates. 5,000 on waiting list , Dan swords. Theses people should come first and foremost. The one thing that was special about this town was ,that it didn't matter what way you went out, you were in the country side.... this will be no more, when every boarder in this town is going to have thousands and thousands of unaffordable housing estates. What a very ugly state . With no thought of property for disabled people and the 5,000 people on the waiting list. Only thoughts of lining your own pockets. As long as developers have the upper hand over theses councils and theses councils continue to vote for this destruction it will continue. If your going to take lands , let it be for theses who desperately need it,, not because its your money making machine. Cyclists prefer to cycle around beauty not unaffordable housing estates.
gary roberts
2023-06-04 11:49:24
For all the bluster, pledges, promises and nonsense Cllr. Swords will stay with the policy agenda of his predecessor and that achieved nothing of note. Is the standard of his cabinet worthy of all the wind blowing I hear? I don't think so and come next May the town will have deteriorated further. And Potter Street? Don't make me laugh with contempt.
Nicholas Taylor
2023-06-05 21:54:40
Two years on from taking control of the Council and all we have had is announcement after announcement and little sign of any action. Not a single council house built, little if any sign of improvements within housing estates, a damning report about the lack of consultation with residents and complaints every day about the service provided by the Council. As for overseeing projects such as a new hospital and the UK Health Security Agency move to Harlow, well these are entirely in the hands of others. Much of the regeneration of the Town Centre is also in the hands of others, sites like the former Square have lain empty for years, Market House and other sites are derelict. We will still be left with the smallest theatre in the region, office blocks converted in to tiny flats and regeneration based on more restaurants and bars, whose staff are often poorly paid.
5 Comments for Harlow Council leader confirms new cabinet responsibilities: