Who runs the Bush? Your new Council Cabinet in full

Yesterday saw the unveiling of a new Mayor for the borough, which I haven't really paid much attention to because they're just a figurehead (you can read more here), but more importantly for us the new line-up of power brokers who will shape the Bush for years to come was also revealed.




Here they all are:

• Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh – Leader and Cabinet Member for Economic and Housing Development
• Cllr Nicholas Botterill – Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment and Asset Management
• Cllr Mark Loveday - Cabinet Member for Strategy and Chief Whip
• Cllr Helen Binmore - Cabinet Member for Children’s Services
• Cllr Joe Carlebach - Cabinet Member for Community Care
• Cllr Harry Phibbs - Cabinet Member for Community Engagement
• Cllr Lucy Ivimy - Cabinet Member for Housing
• Cllr Greg Smith - Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services

No big surprises here and I'm glad to see Nick Botterill remains a key figure as the Leader's number two. This is the guy who jumped on shoddy work done to the Green after it was reported here and also who took time out to write updates on this blog during the roadworks at Seven Stars. A nice guy.

Harry Phibbs getting community engagement might be interesting. You could argue this would cover the dog's breakfast this Council has made of planning decisions, with an independent Inquiry currently being held into one of their dubious decisions even as we speak. Cllr Phibbs is very much on the right of the Tory party so fireworks expected there, potentially. He refers to housing blocks as "vertical slums" - so that will go down well on the Queen Caroline Estate.

Cllr Ivimy survives intact, despite her ridiculous remarks on Indian people being more rubbish-prone, which was referred to time and again by Labour in the recent elections. She admitted they were "ill advised". Yes, Lucy.

But for me the real question is how long Cllr Greenhalgh himself sticks around. I'd wager it won't be much more than two years, if that. Don't be surprised if you see him donning ermine in the Lords some time soon as David Cameron's local government "guru in chief".

Finally however you may be wondering who this man in the photo is. That is Cllr Joe Carlebach, the new Cabinet Member for Community Care. Have you ever seen facial hair quite like that on an elected member before?!