ESSEX County Council has announced some changes to Cabinet Member portfolios, reflecting the importance of upcoming changes brought by Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) claims Essex Council.

Whole Council Transformation will be moved and incorporated into the Deputy Leader Councillor Louise McKinlay’s portfolio. 

Her new portfolio, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Transformation and Economic Growth, will also incorporate the council’s Property Strategy. 

The former ‘Transformation’ portfolio will be replaced by a new Digital and Corporate Service portfolio. 

This will have a focus on LGR, alongside bringing together the services provided by the council’s Customer Service, Digital and Corporate teams.

Councillor Tom Cunningham will move from the Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport portfolio to this new role. 

The new Digital and Corporate Services portfolio will take on responsibility for Digital Infrastructure and Digital Strategy from the Deputy Leader. 

It will also take on the council’s Business Support and Customer Services from the Chancellor of Essex and Equalities from The Arts, Heritage and Culture.

Replacing Councillor Cunningham in the Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport will be former Deputy, Councillor Mark Platt. 

Councillor Dan Land will become Deputy to the Deputy Leader, as well as Deputy for the Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport portfolio.

Councillor Derrick Louis has resigned from his role as a County Councillor and therefore will no longer form part of the Cabinet. 

The updated list of Cabinet Member and Deputy Cabinet Member portfolios is below. 

Cabinet Members

Councillor Kevin Bentley – Leader

Councillor Louis McKinlay – Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities, Transformation and Economic Growth

Councillor Tom Cunningham – Cabinet Member for Digital and Corporate Services

Councillor John Spence – Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Adult Social Care, Public Health and Integration

Councillor Tony Ball – Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Life Long Learning and Employability

Councillor Lee Scott – Cabinet Member for Housing, Planning and Regeneration

Councillor Chris Whitbread – The Chancellor of Essex (Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Finance)

Councillor Mark Platt – Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport

Councillor Peter Schwier – Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste Reduction and Recycling

Councillor Mark Durham – Cabinet Member for The Arts, Heritage and Culture

Deputy Cabinet Members

Councillor Lewis Barber – Deputy to the Leader with principal accountabilities for Devolution and LGR

Councillor Beverley Egan – Deputy to the Leader and Special Lead Member for the Caring Communities Commission

Councillor Daniel Land – Deputy to the Deputy Leader and Deputy Cabinet Member for Communities, Transformation and Economic Growth

Councillor Lesley Wagland – Deputy to the Deputy Leader and Special Lead Member with key accountabilities of infrastructure and Freeports

Councillors Jane Fleming, Lynette Bowers-Flint and Andrew Johnson – Deputy Cabinet Members for Children’s Services, Adult Social Care, Public Health and Integration

Councillors Laureen Shaw and Daniel Land – Deputy Cabinet Members for Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport

Councillor Andrew Sheldon – Deputy Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Life Long Learning and Employability

Councillor Bob Massey – Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste Reduction and Recycling

Councillor Holly Whitbread – Deputy Cabinet Member for The Arts, Heritage and Culture