New Cabinet Member Welcomed

After his appointment as Leader of the Council for a third term at the Council AGM, Cllr Andrew Morgan has announced detail of his new Cabinet. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the decision of former Deputy Leader Cllr Keiron Montague to stand down, Cllr Maureen Webber has already been appointed as Deputy Leader of the Council and was reappointed by the Leader at the AGM. As part of her role Cllr Webber will take responsibility for engagement whilst retaining responsibility for Council and Executive Business, Human Resources and Communications. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As part of his revised Cabinet, Cllr Andrew Morgan has also announced the appointment of Cllr Mark Norris to his existing Cabinet to take up the role of Cabinet Member for Corporate Services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Alongside other changes to the current Cabinet Member portfolios, Cllr Joy Rosser has become the Cabinet Member for Prosperity, Wellbeing and Communities with responsibilities including Housing and Communities and Prosperity. Cllr Robert Bevan, Cllr Eudine Hanagan, Cllr Mike Forey, Cllr Geraint Hopkins and Cllr Ann Crimmings will keep their current areas of responsibility with some changes to reflect the new appointments. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

County Borough Councillor, Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Following my appointment as Leader of the Council I have announced some changes to my Cabinet team. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I have asked Cllr Mark Norris to join the Cabinet with responsibility for Corporate Services. This is an important role and I am certain Mark will make a great addition to the Cabinet and will bring with him the same level of dedication he shows on a daily basis as local Councillor for Cwm Clydach. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Mark is the former Chair of the Council’s Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee – a position that will stand him in good stead in respect of his Corporate Services responsibilities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Having formally appointed Cllr Maureen Webber as Deputy Leader in April, at the AGM I reappointed her as Deputy Leader of the Council whilst also taking the opportunity to realign the responsibilities of my nine Member Cabinet. As many will recall I reduced the number of the Cabinet from ten to nine when I became Leader in 2014. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Maureen is a strong voice for the Council and has played a key role as a Cabinet Member since 2010. She will continue to be a passionate advocate of effective engagement with our communities and will continue the good work we have achieved in this area over the last two years. Maureen will also be a driving force for continued improvements to the Council’s scrutiny processes and the further involvement of non-executive Members, as demonstrated by amendments to the Council’s Constitution agreed at the AGM. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As austerity continues to impact on public services and the communities of Rhondda Cynon Taf, I am confident that this Cabinet will continue to show the strong leadership required through the right balance of experience and new ideas. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We will continue to focus on protecting frontline service delivery from the reductions in funding we expect to receive in forthcoming years but also look to make significant capital investments in our facilities and infrastructure across Rhondda Cynon Taf whilst also maximising the benefit for RCT of the City Deal and Metro Project.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

County Borough Councillor Mark Norris, who represents Cwm Clydach and has been appointed as the Cabinet Member for Corporate Services said: “It is a huge honour to have been asked by the Leader of the Council to serve in his Cabinet. This is a forward-thinking Cabinet which, despite the challenges we continue to face, is seeking to protect and improve services and invest in our County Borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am looking forward to playing an active role as a Member of the Executive and will be focusing on ensuring services under my portfolio such as Procurement and ICT support the efficient and effective delivery of council services. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am also pleased to be offered responsibility for areas such as the Council’s Youth Engagement and Participation Service and the development of the County Youth Forum will be a particular priority of mine as I see it as an important mechanism for engaging with our young people.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Mark Norris was elected to the Council in 2004 and was a former Chair of the Council’s Finance and Performance Committee. He has also served as a member of the Corporate Parenting Board and Democratic Services Committee. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the amendments announced by the Leader at the Council AGM, the Council’s Cabinet will be: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Cllr Andrew Morgan – Leader of the Council and Chair of the Cabinet
• Cllr Maureen Webber – Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Council Business & Human Resources (Vice Chair of the Cabinet)
• Cllr Eudine Hanagan – Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning
• Cllr Mike Forey – Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services
• Cllr Geraint Hopkins – Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Equalities & the Welsh Language
• Cllr Ann Crimmings – Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure & Culture
• Cllr Robert Bevan – Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Tourism and Planning
• Cllr Joy Rosser – Cabinet Member for Prosperity, Wellbeing & Communities
• Cllr Mark Norris – Cabinet Member for Corporate Services