SWANSEA Council is to drive through its ambitious plans to deliver on the priorities of the people of the city as it emerges from the pandemic.
A reshuffle of the Council’s Cabinet is aiming to further strengthen leadership with the appointment of two Cabinet members to the education and adult services’ posts.
They are Cabinet newcomer Cllr Robert Smith, who will look after the education portfolio, and Cllr Mark Child, who returns to the Cabinet to lead adult services after his year as Lord Mayor.
Cllr Andrea Lewis, joint deputy leader and currently Cabinet member for Homes, Energy and Service Transformation, will add climate change responsibilities to her brief.
Announcing the changes Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, also paid tribute to Cllr Jennifer Raynor and Cllr Clive Lloyd, who are stepping down from their posts at education and adult services respectively.
Cllr Stewart said: “Swansea Council has been here for the people of Swansea through the pandemic and we will be there for our communities and local businesses through the recovery.
“The past 12 months have been some of the most challenging any of us have experienced in our lifetimes
“The council never stopped supporting people during the pandemic, we supported those shielding, the vulnerable and the elderly. We supported our schools, pupils and staff through extraordinary challenging times and I want to thank Cllr Raynor and Cllr Lloyd for their leadership and hard work during this period, and for the significant impacts they have made during their time in Cabinet.
“Their support and counsel has been greatly valued by me, everyone in Cabinet and in the communities they’ve served. They will be missed but I know will continue to be hard working active champions for their communities.
He added: “I also want to welcome Cllr Smith and Cllr Child to the Cabinet. I’m confident they will enable the Cabinet to continue to bring strong, practical and prudent leadership to the council in these times of opportunity and challenge.
“I’d also like to thank Cllr Lewis for taking on the climate change role. Following on from the council’s decision to sign-up to the Climate Emergency charter, and changes to the Welsh Government cabinet, it is another signal of our commitment to tackling climate change to benefit our children and their children too.”
Cllr Lewis will become Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Service Transformation.
Cllr Stewart said that the new Cabinet appointments would continue to help build on the council’s determination to ensure the people of Swansea emerge strongly from the pandemic strongly and that no-one is left behind.
“The £20m recovery fund targeting support for every community in our city, economic regeneration and unprecedented investment in services that touch people’s lives every day means there is real cause for confidence.”
