The Executive

The Council has a Leader and Cabinet model of governance. This means the Council elects a leader every four years. He or she then appoints up to nine other Councillors to form the Cabinet (known as the Executive), one of whom will be the Deputy Leader.

Leader of the Council

Councillor Caroline Reeves
Leader of the Council
Lead Councillor for:

Sustainable Transport
Transformation & Regeneration
Economic Development
Asset Management
Governance

The role of the leader

The leader provides overall political leadership for the Council by:

Co-ordinating and delivering Council policies, strategies and services
Leading the Executive in its work to develop the policy framework and budget and to deliver services to the local community
Leading the development of partnerships both inside and outside of Guildford with stakeholders, residents and other interested organisations
Contributing to the preparation, monitoring and review of the Council's policies, budget, strategy and service delivery

Main responsibilities of the leader

Providing leadership to the Council and its political administration
Acting as the principal spokesman for the Council and the administration
Assuming prime responsibility to the local community for the decisions and work of the Executive
Liaising with officers, in particular the Managing Director and the Council's corporate management team
Leading the development of the Council's strategic and corporate planning process (Corporate Plan)
Having a primary role in presenting the Executive's proposals to the Council and to the local community
Managing and chairing Executive's meetings and providing the political lead in proposing the policy framework, budget and direction of the council
Ensuring that the work of the Executive and portfolio holders is co-ordinated and is in line with the Council's policy framework and the needs and aspirations of the local community
Ensuring that working relationships between the Executive , other Councillors, officers and the local community are effective and professional

Deputy Leader of the Council

Councillor Fiona White
Deputy Leader of the Council

Lead Councillor for:
Safeguarding, Inclusion, Public Safety,
Community Safety and Vulnerable Families

The role of the Deputy Leader

To deputise for the Leader of the Council when required and to provide support in the political leadership of the Council.

Main responsibilities of the Deputy Leader

To chair the Executive if the leader is unavailable
To support the leader in all aspects of his or her work, particularly in relation to providing the political direction on strategic issues

The Executive

The Executive has a Forward Plan of decisions to be taken.

Councillor Joss Bigmore Lead Councillor for Finance, Customer Service.
Councillor Angela Goodwin Lead Councillor for Housing (social and affordable), Homelessness, Access & Disability.
Councillor David Goodwin Lead Councillor for Licensing, Parking, Refuse, Recycling.
Councillor Jan Harwood Lead Councillor for Planning, Planning Policy, Housing Delivery through Planning.
Councillor Julia McShane Lead Councillor for Health & Wellbeing, the Voluntary Sector, Grants Panel, Play Strategy, Project Aspire.
Councillor Susan Parker Lead Councillor for Environment, Rural Strategy.
Councillor John Rigg Holds a supporting role without voting rights as Deputy Lead Councillor for: Sustainable transport, Transformation & Regeneration, Economic Development.
Councillor Pauline Searle Lead Councillor for Arts, Parks & Countryside.
Councillor James Steel Lead Councillor for Leisure, Heritage, Tourism.