Changes afoot as new Leader, Cabinet and Chairman of SODC appointed

COUNCILLOR Sue Cooper is the new Leader of South Oxfordshire District Council. She returned to the council last year after winning a by-election, having served on the council previously for many years. A Liberal Democrat, she represents her home ward of Benson and Crowmarsh and was elected as the Leader of the Council at the Annual Council Meeting on Thursday, May 16.

Cllr David Turner, also a Liberal Democrat, is Deputy Leader and Head of Finance. The new Chairman of South Oxfordshire District Council is Cllr David Bretherton, also a Liberal Democrat, who was voted in at the same meeting. His Vice-Chairman is Conservative, Cllr Elizabeth Gillespie.

Leader’s report

In her Leader’s Report to the Annual Council Meeting, Cllr Cooper said: “South Oxfordshire is a wonderful place for our residents to live, and likewise for people who come here for work or to visit, but we have some significant challenges ahead.

“I will be working with the cabinet to tackle the big issues affecting South Oxfordshire residents in new ways. This includes making sure housing and employment developments are more sustainable, as well as seeking out new ways to deliver truly affordable housing and helping to provide a boost to our market towns and villages so they’re a successful heart of their communities.”

She went on: “We are very pleased to be working closely in partnership with the Green party. And I am also grateful for the help of my seconds in command, David Turner from the Liberal Democrats and Sue Roberts from the Green Party.”

Response to the Climate Emergency

“During the last Council we declared a climate emergency, so we will need to find ways to make sure this is taken seriously during every decision we make. So we have created a new Cabinet position of Climate and Ecological Crisis Response, and it is this position that Sue Roberts, as well as supporting me, will take up. Unlike other Cabinet roles, CECR will look at all areas of the Council’s work and will, I hope, seek to engage with our residents more.”

District Local Plan review

“Many of us believe that we are here at least partially because of the District’s Local Plan. I have already been bombarded with people wanting to know what we are going to do about it. But I believe very strongly we need to take decisions based on facts. With so many new councillors we need to learn more about the background and data behind the Local Plan and the costs and implications of any alterations which are called for.” FULL REPORT HERE

Here is the list of councillors in the cabinet and the areas they’re covering:

Cllr Sue Cooper: Leader, Legal and Democratic, and Didcot Garden Town
Cllr David Turner: Deputy Leader and Finance
Cllr Sue Roberts: Climate and ecological crisis response, and support for the Leader
Cllr Pieter-Paul Barker: Partnership and Insight
Cllr Robin Bennett: Economic Development and Regeneration
Cllr Maggie Filipova-Rivers: Community Services
Cllr Andrea Powell: Corporate Services
Cllr Leigh Rawlins: Planning
Cllr David Rouane: Housing and Environment

Here are the appointments to Chair the council’s committees.

Planning committee

Chairman: Cllr Ian Snowdon
Vice-chairman: Cllr Peter Dragonetti

Scrutiny committee

Chairman: Cllr Ian White
Vice-chairman: Cllr Mocky Khan

Joint Scrutiny Committee

Co-Chairman: Cllr Ian White

Joint Audit and Governance Committee

Co-Chairman: Cllr Mocky Khan

General Licensing Committee and Licensing Acts Committee

Chairman: Cllr Anne-Marie Simpson
Vice-chairman: Cllr Leigh Rawlins

Community Grants Panel

Chairman: Cllr Sarah Gray

Appointments for the following committees will be made at their respective meetings:

Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee
Joint Staff Committee
Appeals Panel