City of Lincoln Council reveals new cabinet
The City Council’s cabinet will shrink from eight members to six, as Labour reveals who will hold the power in Lincoln.
Lincoln’s Labour Party beat Conservatives and seized control of City of Lincoln Council in the local elections on May 5.
They spent four years in opposition. Labour now has 17 councillors, while the Conservatives have 15.
Councillor Ric Metcalfe, Lincoln Labour’s leader, will head the City Council.
Cllr Metcalfe said: “We plan to reduce the size of the Executive committee to improve the effectiveness of decision-making and make financial savings.
“We will merge the ‘customer services’ portfolio into ‘corporate management’, making sure it remains a high priority, and we’ll sit ‘environment’ alongside ‘public protection’ as we feel the two go hand in hand.
“These are challenging times, but we are determined not to allow this to prevent us from trying to do the very best for the people of Lincoln.
“We have a very experienced and energetic team providing the leadership the city needs.”
A new “Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee” is being created, to “scrutinise plans, actions or decisions made by the council’s partner organisations that are responsible for services in the city.”
According to Cllr Metcalfe: “There are many things that the council does not have responsibility for, but which can have a very significant effect on the lives of the people we represent.
“If decisions are made about public transport, health services or policing in the area, we want to be in a position to scrutinise these decisions and speak up for the people of Lincoln.”
It’s expected the cabinet will be ratified at the council’s Annual General Meeting on May 24.
The new Labour cabinet
Ric Metcalfe
Leader of the City of Lincoln Council – Councillor Ric Metcalfe
Councillor Metcalfe has worked in local government and served as a member of the council since 1982.
His ‘corporate management’ portfolio means he should provide direction to the council, oversee its strategic governance including financial management, and act as the council’s leading representative and spokesperson.
Donald Nannestadt
Recreational Services and Health – Deputy Leader Councillor Donald Nannestadt
Councillor Nannestadt is a professional journalist who has been a member of the council since 1994.
He has a passionate interest in seeing sporting opportunities developed for the whole community and reaping the health benefits from increased participation in sport.
Faye Smith
Environmental Services and Public Protection – Councillor Fay Smith
Councillor Smith is a former local government officer who has been a member of the council for thirteen years and has previous experience of the ‘environment’ portfolio.
She is very keen to promote recycling and to develop significantly the council’s programme for dealing with the effects of climate change.
Social Inclusion and Community Cohesion – Councillor Brent Charlesworth
Councillor Charlesworth is a retired university teacher. He has been a member of the City of Lincoln Council since 2007, but has previous experience as a councillor in Nottingham, where he served as the city’s Lord Mayor.
He has a passion for addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities and will be leading the council’s efforts to reduce these disadvantages experienced by a number of communities in Lincoln.
Neil Murray
Planning Policy and Economic Regeneration – Councillor Neil Murray
Councillor Murray holds a senior position in a social care organisation. He has been a member of the council since 1983 and ha extensive experience in the ‘planning policy and economic regeneration’ portfolio.
He is particularly concerned about high levels of young unemployed people in the city and will see this as one of his immediate priorities. Councillor Murray said: “We must get the local economy moving again, attract more inward investment and support local employment.”
Housing – Councillor Richard Coupland
Councillor Coupland has been a member of the council since 1992 and has extensive experience of having responsibility for housing.
He said: “I am determined to address the need to increase the supply of affordable housing to rent and to improve the council’s performance as a landlord.”
Performance Scrutiny Committee – Councillor Peter West
Policy Scrutiny Committee – Councillor David Jackson
Community Leadership Scrutiny Committee – Councillor Karen Lee
