Cotswold District Council leader Joe Harris, has announced his new cabinet for the coming year.

The size of the cabinet has been reduced from nine members to eight as Cllr Mark Harris vacates the cabinet.

The full cabinet is:

Cllr Joe Harris: Leader of the Council

Cllr Mike Evemy: Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance

Cllr Rachel Coxcoon: Cabinet member for Climate Change and Forward Planning

Cllr Jenny Forde: Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing

Cllr Lisa Spivey: Cabinet member for Housing and Homelessness

Cllr Andrew Doherty: Cabinet member for the Environment, Waste and Recycling

Cllr Tony Dale: Cabinet member for the Economy and Skills

Cllr Clive Webster: Cabinet Member for Planning, Town and Parish Councils

Full details of each portfolio are available on the council’s website.

Cllr Joe Harris said: “I’ve been very lucky to have a dynamic and supportive cabinet over the last year and the change of portfolios is intended to clarify roles as we come out of lockdown and into the recovery phase of the coronavirus crisis.

"We are striving to build a council which delivers for all of our residents and I want to make sure that we have a recovery for all.

"This is a strong cabinet that will deliver for the district.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to Cllr Mark Harris, for his work in making our relationship with town and parish councils central to our thinking and for his work on parking across the district.”

Cllr Richard Morgan, leader of the opposition Conservative Group, said:  “Whilst we welcome the fact that Cllr Joe Harris is reducing his large cabinet by one person which will save Cotswold tax payers money, the real story here is that this cabinet change represents a noteworthy switch in parking policy for Cotswold District Council and local residents.

"Just a few weeks ago the Lib Dems were celebrating a budget in which they increased parking fees for Cotswold residents by more than 30% and announced they would use these additional funds to implement their radical Liberal manifesto.  Just a few weeks ago the Lib Dems confirmed they were pressing ahead with the huge and expensive six story carpark in Cirencester.

"However, it’s now been announced that the cabinet member for parking has been relieved of his duties, the multi-story carpark has been put on hold and at the most recent full council meeting (3 June 2020) Cllr Joe Harris stated that the Lib Dems now intended to declare war on cars and motorists. A totally contra position to a few weeks ago when they drew up their financial budget for this financial year (2020-21).

"We continue to seek urgent clarification about the Lib Dem position on parking across the district. All Cotswold residents are entitled to know if parking remains a priority for this administration, and if that has now changed, then how they intend to replace the future additional parking revenues which their financial forecasts rely on.”