Issue - meetings

To appoint the Leader of the Council for the ensuing 4 years and to note the membership of Cabinet including the Deputy Leader.

The Mayor will invite a proposer and seconder for Leader of the Council. After a vote, the Mayor will invite the newly appointed Leader to address the Council and announce the Deputy Leader and the membership of the Cabinet.

Councillor Jordan proposed that Councillor Rowena Hay be elected as the new Leader of the Council.  He said he had known Cllr Hay for over 35 years and was confident that she would do an excellent job in helping the council through the difficult financial times that lay ahead.  Cllr Hay had been a cabinet member for many years and latterly, the Cabinet Member for Finance and had a wealth of experience. 

Councillor Brownsteen seconded the proposal saying Cllr Hay was an outstanding member of the council.

Upon a vote it was

RESOLVED THAT

Councillor Rowena Hay be appointed as the Leader of the Council until May 2021.

The Mayor invited Councillor Hay as the new leader to address the Council.  Cllr Hay set out her plans and challenges for the council, saying she would ensure that communities would recover from the pandemic and prosper, by empowering them to support themselves.  She spoke about pressing ahead with key projects despite the additional financial pressures put on the council by covid-19. She felt the groundwork had been laid for the future success of the town, which in no small measure was down to Cllr Jordan and his leadership. 

She paid tribute to Cllr Jordan for his hard work and the volume of projects he had been engaged in during his time as leader in some very challenging times and outlined some of the changes during that period.  His diligence, calmness, patience and sense of humour had earned him great respect not just within the council but also with local community groups, businesses and fellow council leaders across the county, earning him the reputation as one of the country’s best council leaders.  Cllr Hay wished him well for the future.

Cllr Hay confirmed that Cllr Peter Jeffries would continue to be the deputy leader until May 2021 and that cabinet member roles would also remain the same, with the addition of Cllr Jordan taking on the role as Cabinet Member Finance and Assets.

Cllr Harman, conservative group leader, paid tribute to the work and leadership of Cllr Jordan and congratulated Cllr Hay on her appointment and to their continued cooperation for the good of the town.

Cllr Payne, representative for the PAB party, also paid tribute to Cllr Jordan, to the huge number of projects he had succeeded on in such a calm manner for the benefit of the residents of Cheltenham and wished him all the best in retirement.

The Mayor wished Cllrs Hay and Jordan every success in their new roles.