News / Bristol
Rees consolidates power in cabinet reshuffle
Congestion, social care and the Clean Streets Campaign are among the priorities set out by Bristol mayor Marvin Rees as he announces a major cabinet reshuffle.
Veteran Labour councillor Mark Bradshaw, leader of the council’s transport department, is one of two members to be dropped from the new nine-strong team that Rees says will enable him to take personal control of key issues including roads, infrastructure and democratic engagement.
Lib Dem Clare Campion-Smith has also lost her position in Rees’ cabinet overhaul, in which two new deputy mayor posts have been created for two of Rees’ closest confidantes.
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New deputy mayor Craig Cheney will continue his current focus on finance, governance and performance.
The second deputy mayor, Asher Craig, will take on responsibility for public health, also covering public transport, leisure centres, libraries, community assets and parks – a move that Rees hopes will benefit some of the city’s most vulnerable people.
Bristol’s two new deputy mayors – Asher Craig (left) and Craig Cheney (right)
Rees said: “I appointed an interim cabinet soon after taking office last May and I am very grateful for everyone’s hard work and commitment in successfully servings its purpose. In 10 short months, we are in a very different position – both in terms of the city council and the wider world.
“With support from the interim cabinet, I have got my feet under the table, set our priorities and got a deep understanding of the council’s strengths and weaknesses. We’ve got a huge financial challenge and some important improvement to make as an organisation – issues which deputy mayor Cheney and I will pay close attention to and will cut across everyone’s portfolios.
“Meanwhile there are so many other factors, including local devolution, which are changing how we work and where we need to channel our energies.”
Rees himself will take on an expanded portfolio with personal oversight of roads and congestion, economy, external relations, sports, regional work through the West of England Combined Authority, city infrastructure – including the new 12,000 capacity arena – the Clean Streets campaign, city office and democratic engagement.
The mayor will also oversee the forthcoming congestion task group, which will bring together a range of experts and city partners to focus on the long-term plan for tackling Bristol’s traffic congestion. The remaining group membership will be announced soon.
Former deputy mayor Estella Tincknell remains on the cabinet with a new portfolio encompassing culture, events and equalities.
There is a new cabinet appointment in the form of Labour’s Helen Godwin, who will be responsible for children and young people.
Her counterpart for adult social care will be party colleague Helen Holland.
Rees said he hopes the move to focus on adults and children separately will provide extra attention to the detailed needs of the services, along with the ability to combine cabinet resource around shared issues, such as the need for fairer funding from the Government.
Following the reshuffle, Fi Hance has an amended portfolio covering energy, waste and regulatory services, whilst Paul Smith and Claire Hiscott have unchanged portfolios for housing and education & skills respectively.
There will also be three supporting councillor leads – Steve Pearce, Hibaq Jama and Kye Dudd – who will provide extra capacity for work on public transport, international relations and sport respectively.
Labour has a strong majority in the new cabinet, with just Hance of the Greens and Tory member Hiscott representing other parties.
The new structure takes immediate effect as the council approaches a new financial year and its annual general meeting in May. Bradshaw will step down from April 14.
Read more: Marvin Rees: 100 days in office
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