Two new faces selected amid cabinet reshuffle
TWO councillors will be joining Cardiff council’s cabinet for the first time as part of a reshuffle.
Leader of the council Huw Thomas recently announced the reshuffle, which will see councillors Lee Bridgeman and Leonora Thomson take on cabinet roles – the latter elected in the last local elections in 2022.
The reshuffle will also see the current cabinet member for transport and strategic planning, Cllr Dan De’Ath, take over the climate change portfolio from Cllr Caro Wild who is stepping down in his role.
Cllr De’Ath will hold the climate change portfolio as well as the transport portfolio in a newly created cabinet role for strategic transport and planning, climate change and One Planet Cardiff.
Cllr Wild, who announced in April he would be stepping down from his cabinet role, said he will still be a ward councillor for Riverside.
The councillor, who used to be the cabinet member for transport before the 2022 local elections, said after seven years as a cabinet member “it is time to do something different” and “give other people a chance to lead”.
He said: “It has been a great honour and responsibility to be in a position to make change happen and I am proud that we have implemented ideas, that 10 years ago were considered leftfield, into things that actually make Cardiff look and feel like a progressive, modern city.
“Things such as calmer 20mph residential streets, new cycle lanes, and sustainable drainage ‘rain garden’ schemes.”
He said he shares the frustrations about the speed of change that needs to be seen to cut carbon emissions in the city and added “it is worrying that at the same time we need our public services to do the heavy lifting on climate change action, the UK Government is underfunding them”.
Cllr Wild and the council’s head of climate emergency response, Gareth Harcombe, told members of Cardiff council’s environment scrutiny committee meeting in March that reaching net zero by 2030 will be an impossible task for the local authority to achieve.
The council is proposing to undertake a “green paper” review, which will look at what funding and partnerships are needed for the council and city to reach the eventual net zero goal.
Cllr Thomas said he wanted to thank Cllr Wild “for his sterling work over the years” and said he has “played a key role driving forward the One Planet Cardiff agenda”.
He added: “I know we all wish him the very best in his new venture.”
As part of the cabinet reshuffle, Cllr Norma Mackie will stand down as cabinet member for adult services to take on the new portfolio of waste management, highways maintenance and shared regulatory services.
Cllr Thomson, who represents Riverside, will be given the adult social services brief in a new shared cabinet portfolio which will include public health and equalities. This will be led by Cllr Julie Sangani.
Cllr Bridgeman, who represents Llanrumney, will be given part of the housing and communities portfolio, job sharing with Cllr Lynda Thorne.
Cllr Thorne will continue to lead the housing programme, while Cllr
Bridgeman will focus on community hubs and regeneration.
The children’s social services and the tackling poverty and youth services portfolio, will be brought together and shared by Cllr Ash Lister and Cllr Peter Bradbury, who have been managing these areas.
Cllr Thomas said: “I would also like to thank the Labour group for the honour of appointing me to continue in my role as leader of Cardiff council.
“I am proud of all the work that the administration has delivered in the past seven years, and although there are many challenges to come, we will continue to serve the communities that elected us with our ambitious plans for the city.
“I’m also grateful to Lynda who, by mutual agreement, will transfer into a job-share role, so that she can pass on her experience and knowledge whilst retaining a focus on delivering the housing programme.
“I’m delighted to welcome Lee and Leo into cabinet for the first time.”