Isle of Wight Council Leader, Jonathan Bacon, has announced a reshuffle of the Isle of Wight Council’s Executive.
Following the decision by Councillor Luisa Hillard to relinquish her Executive post in January, Councillor Julia Baker-Smith has been appointed to the Executive. Other Members of the Executive remain, however, some responsibilities have been reorganised to better align with the current ambitions and focus of the council.
Of the Executive rearrangement, Councillor Bacon, said:
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Councillor Hillard for her dedication to her role as Executive Member for Sustainability and Organisational Change over the past few years. However, her decision to spend more time with her family and on her role as ward councillor, offers an opportunity to realign the Executive in the face of the budget challenges the council faces and the strategic direction that the council must take in the future.”
“Our current budget challenge and possible future choices that lay ahead mean, that as Leader of the council I will be assuming further responsibility for the internal functions of the council’s operations, alongside corporate governance and my existing resources portfolio. It is crucial that these elements are aligned moving forward.
“The Sustainability portfolio previously held by Councillor Hillard has now been split into two parts to allow the Members concerned to concentrate on the Environmental and Economic aspects of sustainability in conjunction with the other responsibilities they have. This and other aspects of the will enable stability in the Executive arrangements moving forward, and provide strategic leadership across the council’s specific and focused corporate priorities.”
The new Executive responsibilities are as follows:
| Member | New role | Former role |
| Jonathan Bacon (Leader) | Resources, Organisational Change and Children’s Services | Children’s Services and Lead Member for Resources |
| Julia Baker-Smith | Planning and Housing | |
| Paul Fuller | Environment (Sustainability) and Local Engagement | Planning, Licensing, Public Realm and Local Engagement |
| Phil Jordan | Public Health, Public Protection and PFI | Public Health, Public Protection and PFI |
| Shirley Smart | Public Transport, Tourism, Recreation and Heritage | Regeneration, Economy and Public Transport |
| Ian Stephens | Regeneration, Economic Sustainability and Development | Tourism, Culture and Heritage |
| Steve Stubbings (Deputy Leader) | Adult Social Care and Integration | Adult Social Care, Integration, Human Resources and Corporate Governance |
