Three councillors out in Harrogate Cabinet reshuffle

Coun Rebecca Burnett (Con, Rossett) who was appointed Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport in December, has now added Planning responsibilities into her portfolio.

Meanwhile the former Cabinet Member for Planning, Coun Michael Harrison (Con, Killinghall) as been named Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste Reduction and Recycling.

Coun Mike Chambers’ (Con, Ripon Spa) housing portfolio has been revised to include Safer Communities. Leader, Coun Richard Cooper (Con, High Harrogate) has kept his responsibility for Finance and Resources.

New to the Cabinet, Coun Stanley Lumley (Con, Pateley Bridge) has been appointed as Cabinet Member for Culture and Sport, while Coun Graham Swift (Con, Saltergate) takes on responsibility for Tourism, Economic Development and Enterprise.

Three Councillors have faced the chop bringing the total number of Councillors on the Cabinet back down to six. Coun Phil Ireland (Con, Knaresborough King James) formerly the Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, External Affairs, Coun Margaret Atkinson (Con, Kirkby Malzeard) formerly Cabinet Member for Safer Communities and Coun Pat Jones (Con, Stray) Cabinet Member for Culture, Tourism and Sports have all lost their Cabinet portfolios.

Cabinet Members are entitled to an additional £4,448 per year on top of their £4,192 basic councillor’s allowance.

Council Leader Councillor Richard Cooper said: “In the last four years many new councillors have been elected to the local authority. It is timely therefore to consider the future leaders of the Council and mix that new talent with the experience of longer-serving members to establish the best combination to serve local people and the district’s communities.

“In particular, I want to ensure that everything the Council does is rooted in making our area even better still. Keeping Council Tax increases low is important, but it is only one element of improving the quality of life locally. We need to ensure that corners aren’t cut as we work with local people to solve problems imaginatively, unconstrained by any party political consideration. That is what I am asking my new Cabinet to do.”