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Eight new Cabinet posts confirmed for West Northamptonshire Council

Last week it was announced that Cllr Jonathan Nunn would be leader and Cllr Adam Brown his deputy, following deliberations by the council’s majority Conservative Group.

West Northamptonshire Council’s controlling Conservative group has named eight councillors who will help form the authority’s Cabinet, subject to approval at tomorrow’s (Thursday, 20 May 2021) Annual Council Meeting.

Last week it was announced that Cllr Jonathan Nunn would be leader and Cllr Adam Brown his deputy, following deliberations by the council’s majority Conservative Group.

Further to this, additional roles have now been assigned. These are:

Adam Brown, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure and Housing

Cllr Brown will take on these duties in addition to his role as deputy leader and has a local government background in leisure and housing having carried out reviews in both areas as chair of the Scrutiny and Improvement Committee at Daventry District Council. He is also a keen supporter of local theatre and a qualified grass-roots rugby union referee.

Fiona Baker, Portfolio Holder for Children, Families and Education

Cllr Baker has overseen Children’s Services in Northamptonshire for the past two years and in that time they have seen a marked improvement. Previous experience as Chair of the Oxfordshire Scope charity and work with the NSPCC has prepared her well for the role and trusteeship with the Northamptonshire Parent Infant Partnership (NorPIP) gave her a wider perspective on issues affecting children.

Cllr Lizzy Bowen, Portfolio Holder for Corporate Services

Cllr Baker’s background in business positions her well to handle Corporate Services which deals with key aspects of the council’s work including customer service and performance. As part of the West Northamptonshire Shadow Cabinet she held responsibility for Housing, Leisure, Culture and Tourism and was Deputy Leader at Northamptonshire County Council through the final two years of its recovery.

Cllr Rebecca Breese, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Built Environment and Rural Affairs

Cllr Breese was Portfolio Holder for Planning at South Northamptonshire Council from 2012 to 2017 and chaired the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Committee, so is well placed to take responsibility for this portfolio. During the past year she oversaw the delivery of West Northamptonshire Council’s first balanced budget and medium-term financial plan.

Cllr Matt Golby, Portfolio Holder for Adult Care, Wellbeing and Health Integration

Cllr Golby has been a member of the Northamptonshire Health and Wellbeing Board for the past four years and has built a strong dialogue with key stakeholders across the health and social care sector. He was also Leader of Northamptonshire County Council through its recovery during the last three years.

Cllr Phil Larratt, Portfolio Holder for Climate, Transport, Highways and Waste Services

Cllr Larratt’s 34 years in local government have included stints as member responsible for highways, a member of the Northampton Traffic Committee, Environment Portfolio Holder, Deputy Leader and Leader. He has also chaired and worked on a variety of Scrutiny Panels resulting in improvements in tree management and lighting improvements across the town.

Cllr Malcolm Longley, Portfolio Holder for Finance

During the past few years, Cllr Longley worked with Finance Portfolio Holder, Cllr Michael Clarke, to improve Northamptonshire County Council’s finances, and then took over the position and saw the council’s financial recovery through to its conclusion earlier this year. Cllr Longley’s experience in the private sector, with previous senior positions in manufacturing and aviation, position him well to continue providing lean council services.

Cllr David Smith, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services

Cllr Smith was previously Access and Communications Portfolio Holder at Daventry District Council, which included a focus on inclusivity. This positions him well to help improve community liaison and his keen interest in sport will stand him in good stead in ensuring that healthy opportunities are at the forefront of West Northamptonshire Council’s plan to improve life chances, particularly for more disadvantaged residents.

The final position of Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth remains vacant but will be temporarily overseen by Cllr Nunn, who has a wealth of experience in this area, including two years as chair of the Northampton Forward Board.

“With these appointments, we have a strong team to help begin making our aspirations for West Northamptonshire a reality,” said Cllr Nunn.

“We have some world class assets, from Silverstone Circuit and the high-tech performance cluster that has generated, an internationally renowned footwear industry and some global players like Carlsberg and Barclaycard.

“The county is steeped in history, has some of the UK’s most beautiful countryside and is perhaps the best geographical position in the country, making it an ideal location for both business and the visitor economy.

“We intend to capitalise on all of these assets to ensure the area and its residents have a very bright future to look forward to.”

All of the appointments are subject to confirmation during tomorrow’s (Thursday, 20 May 2021) West Northamptonshire Council Annual Meeting.

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