Borough Council Reshuffle Announced

Published on: 9 May, 2017
Updated on: 11 May, 2017

A re-shuffle of the Guildford Borough Council Executive was announced this evening (May 9, 2017) during a full council meeting at Millmead.

While there was much swapping of responsibilities only one change of councillors was made. Cllr Tony Rooth (Con, Pilgrims) steps down from his role as lead councillor for housing and is replaced by Cllr Philip Brooker (Con, Merrow).

Council leader Spooner thanked Cllr Rooth for his Executive service. Rooth, a lawyer by profession, was the council leader for a period until 2012 when he was ousted by Stephen Mansbridge.

Cllr Brooker was elected to represent Merrow at the last election in May 2015.

The new GBC Executive comprises:

	Paul Spooner (Ash South & Tongham) – leader of the council, lead councillor for planning and regeneration, innovations and smart cities
	Matt Furniss (Christchurch) – deputy leader of the council and lead councillor for infrastructure and governance, internal business systems and customer service
	David Bilbé (Normandy) – lead councillor for economic development and tourism
	Richard Billington (Tillingbourne) – lead councillor for rural economy, countryside, parks and leisure
	Philip Brooker (Merrow) – lead councillor for housing, air quality and sustainability
	Geoff Davis – (Holy Trinity) lead councillor for asset management
	Graham Ellwood (Merrow) – lead councillor for licensing and community safety, environmental health and protection, emergency planning
	Michael Illman (Shalford) – lead councillor for finance, leisure contract management (inc G Live and Spectrum)
	Nikki Nelson-Smith (Christchurch) – lead councillor social welfare, heritage and the arts
	Iseult Roche (Worplesdon) – lead councillor for community, health and sport

Responses to Borough Council Reshuffle Announced

Jim Allen Reply

May 10, 2017 at 8:38 am

Well that was a wasted announcement – all change but nothing changes.
Jules Cranwell Reply

May 15, 2017 at 4:53 pm

Is there any rule that says the leadership can only be drawn from the majority party.

With such a mediocre bunch on offer, surely there is merit in bringing in some of the wealth of talent from the other parties.

That would certainly help with their empty promises to be open and democratic.

The council is free to elect any of its members to be the leader from any party or none. However, the convention is that the largest party selects and proposes a leader who is normally elected, at the next full council meeting, unopposed. Of course, if the largest party has a majority within the council (most often the case with a first past the post electoral system) they can pretty much guarantee that there nominee will be elected.

However, the convention was broken by the Liberal Democrats in 2015 when, largely I believe because of dissatisfaction in the wake of the Juneja conviction, Caroline Reeves stood against Stephen Mansbridge. Although a few Tories abstained Mansbridge was re-elected.

Probably more than you ever wanted to know but you did ask. Ed