Kirklees Council’s new, full Cabinet has been unveiled, as the local authority moves forward under Labour’s direction.
An eventful full council meeting earlier this month saw former Leader of the Council, Cllr Cathy Scott (Kirklees Community Alliance, Dewsbury East) ousted by a vote of no confidence and Cllr Carole Pattison (Labour, Greenhead) elected as her successor.
Formerly Leader of the Labour group, Cllr Scott sensationally announced her departure from the Party at the council’s annual meeting in May, and said she would be continuing as an Independent leader of the council.
However, this was short-lived as the Labour group brought forward a vote of no confidence which was upheld. This claimed that Cllr Scott and her recently-established Cabinet of independent members had “no legitimate mandate” to run the council – a statement that Cllr Scott disputed.
Soon after her election, the new Council Leader, Cllr Pattison, announced her Cabinet but didn’t confirm all of their portfolios. Now this has been set out, the seven new Cabinet members, along with their portfolios are as follows:
Adult Social Care and Health: Cllr Beverley Addy
Environment and Highways: Cllr Munir Ahmed
Deputy Leader, Transport and Highways: Cllr Moses Crook
Corporate: Cllr Tyler Hawkins
Children’s Services: Cllr Viv Kendrick
Education and Communities: Cllr Amanda Pinnock
Finance and Regeneration: Cllr Graham Turner
Speaking after her appointment as Leader, Cllr Pattison told the meeting: “Thank you to you all, whether you voted for me or not, for being here today, for contributing and taking part in this democratic process which sees us elected by our communities, supported by our party’s values and belief in public service and for supporting me to become Leader of the Council.
“As a member of the Labour Party, and having been democratically chosen by the Labour Group of Kirklees, I pledge, alongside our Labour MPs, our Labour Mayor and the national government to do all within our power to provide that service. to bring about the change in politics and the provision of services that our communities want to see.”
