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The Executive

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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

Julia McShane

Cllr Julia McShane
Leader of the Council
Lead Councillor for Housing and Corporate Service
Portfolio responsibility: Landlord Services, homelessness, comms & engagement, events, legal & democratic services, strategy, policy & transformation, human resources,  performance, civic function, digital/IT, improvement plan, local government reorganisation.

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 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

Tom Hunt

Cllr Tom Hunt
Deputy Leader
Lead Councillor for Economy and Place
Portfolio responsibility: Economic Development, Parking, Heritage, Regeneration, Corporate projects, Housing delivery, Town Twinning.

The Executive

The Executive has a Forward Plan (opens new window) of decisions to be taken.

Cllr Julia McShane (Leader) has appointed her Executive:

 

Angela Goodwin

Cllr Angela Goodwin
Lead Councillor for Environment and Recreation
Portfolio responsibility: Parks & Countryside, Waste & Recycling, Playgrounds & Play Strategy, bereavement, street cleaning, fleet services.

Catherine Houston

Cllr Catherine Houston
Lead Councillor for Climate Change & Leisure
Portfolio responsibility: Climate Change, Active Travel, Spectrum, Lido and Glive.

Richard Lucas

Cllr Richard Lucas
Lead Councillor for Finance
Portfolio responsibility: Finance, Assets, Procurement, Internal audit, revenues and benefit.

Carla Morson

Cllr Carla Morson
Lead Councillor for Community
Portfolio responsibility: Community meals and transport, The Hive Community Hub, community safety, community grants, inclusion and customer services, refugee support, care and repair.

Merel Rehorst-Smith

Cllr Merel Rehorst-Smith
Lead Councillor for Regulatory Services
Portfolio responsibility: Air Quality, Private Sector Housing, Environmental health, licensing, animal welfare, food safety.

Fiona White

Cllr Fiona White
Lead Councillor for Planning
Portfolio responsibility: Local Plan, Planning Development, Planning Policy, Planning Enforcement, Building Control.