Daniel Yates: Building a team for the future of the city

It's been quite a busy week meeting people and thanking people for their kind words.
Cllr Daniel YatesCllr Daniel Yates
Cllr Daniel Yates

Meanwhile the vast schedule of meetings on the horizon gradually draws nearer and nearer.

The first major meeting will of course be the annual meeting of Full Council on May 17, where the mayor for the new civic year will be elected, as well as the new council leadership as Cllr Morgan hands over the baton.

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So as the new leader of the largest group on the city council, I have been working hard this week to confirm the senior Labour colleagues who will take on the most challenging roles, ensuring that the city’s services are fit for purpose.

Many of these will be familiar names who have been successfully leading city council services since 2015, and over this next year we will maintain our focus on planning, the private rented sector and mental health services in the city. However, I want to flag up some of the new faces and roles for this final year of this current Labour and Co-operative administration.

Cllr Karen Barford will be moving up from lead member for adult social care, where she has successfully ensured that despite government grant cuts we have protected our services and outcomes for the most vulnerable adults in the city. I will be proposing that she takes on the leadership of the health and wellbeing board, helping bring together health and social care systems over the next 12 months.

Cllr Clare Moonan will replace Karen as lead member for adult social care, and will retain her vital role as lead member for rough sleeping.

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Newly-elected Cllr Nancy Platts will take on a new role as lead member for economic development and social value. This role will focus on making the council’s spending deliver more for the local economy, and ensuring that we fully grasp the social value and the benefits community-minded businesses and organisations offer to us in this very special city.

Finally Cllr Marsh as deputy chair of neighbourhoods will focus particularly on community safety, and Cllr Horan as deputy on the environment committee will lead on sustainability, both areas where we want to listen to residents and make as much impact as funding allows.

Daniel Yates is the leader of the Labour Group on Brighton and Hove City Council.