One of the first acts that new Wokingham borough council leader did was to name his front bench team.
Cllr John Halsall was elected as leader of the Conservatives group during the annual council meeting held at the Shute End offices in Wokingham on Wednesday, May 22.
He was appointed leader after the previous leader, Cllr Julian McGhee-Sumner, lost his seat in the May local elections and is the party’s third leader in 12 months.
Cllr Halsall gave a speech where he pledged to take action on housing numbers, saying that if he couldn’t convince the government to reduce the allocation of homes the borough has to build, he would use litigation.
And in the speech he outlined his team.
The new Executive
Leader: Cllr John Halsall
Deputy leader: Cllr John Kaiser
Adult social services: Cllr Charles Margetts, deputy Cllr Richard Dolinski
Highways: Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, deputy Cllr Malcolm Richards
Children’s services: Cllr UllaKarin Clark, deputy Cllr Graham Howe
Planning: Cllr Wayne Smith, deputy Cllr Gary Cowan
Climate of Urgency: Cllr Gregor Murray, deputy Cllr Laura Blumenthal
Environment: Cllr Parry Batth, deputy Cllr Michael Firmager
Finance and housing: Cllr John Kaiser, deputy Cllr Daniel Sergeant
Business: Cllr Stuart Munro, deputy Cllr Barry Patman
Regeneration: Cllr Charlotte Haitham-Taylor, deputy Cllr Diane King
Mayor: Cllr Bill Soane
Deputy mayor: Cllr Malcolm Richards
