New leader and cabinet for Lancashire County Council

Lancashire County Council announced its new leader and cabinet at its full council meeting today (Thursday 25 May).

County Councillor Geoff Driver CBE, leader of the Conservative group and county councillor for Preston North electoral division, has been formally appointed as leader of Lancashire County Council.

As council leader, Councillor Driver appoints his cabinet which is responsible for day-to-day decision making across the full range of county council services and makes recommendations on policy, strategy and budget issues to the full council.

The county council's new-look cabinet was announced by Councillor Driver today. The cabinet members are:
• County Councillor Albert Atkinson, deputy leader (county councillor for Ribble Valley North East)
• County Councillor Susie Charles, cabinet member for children, young people and schools (county councillor for Lancaster Rural East)
• County Councillor Keith Iddon, cabinet member for highways and transport (county councillor for Chorley Rural West)
• County Councillor Michael Green, cabinet member for economic development and planning (county councillor for Moss Side & Farington)
• County Councillor Peter Buckley, cabinet member for community and cultural services (county councillor for St Annes North)
• County Councillor Viv Taylor, cabinet member for health and wellbeing (county councillor for Wyre Rural Central)
• County Councillor Graham Gooch, cabinet member for adult services (county councillor for South Ribble West)

In addition to being council leader, Councillor Driver will also take cabinet decisions about resources, which includes council functions such as finance, communications, organisational development and HR.

Councillor Driver said: "We have one purpose as an organisation and that is to serve the people of Lancashire.

"The council clearly faces financial challenges and our first priority is to ensure that we develop a way forward that will enable us to continue to provide the services that our residents need.

"That will include looking at where we spend the money that we do have, to ensure that the frontline services valued by our residents are protected.

"We are looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting to work to deliver on our promises."

In addition to the appointment of the new leadership, today's full council meeting also saw the announcement of County Councillor Terry Aldridge as its new chairman and County Councillor Anne Cheetham as vice-chairman.