Lib Dems reveal new Executive line-up for Southwark

2.24.09pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd May 2006

Councillor Nick Stanton has been re-elected unopposed as Leader of Southwark Liberal Democrat Group and has announced his new team of members who will join him on the Council's Executive, following the Constitutional Council meeting on 31st May.

The Executive team is:

Cllr Columba Blango - Citizenship, Equalities, and Communities

Cllr Denise Capstick - Health and Adult Care

Cllr Jeff Hook - Community Safety

Cllr Caroline Pidgeon - Children's Services and Education and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group

Cllr Lisa Rajan - Environment

Cllr Richard Thomas - Regeneration

Cllr Lorraine Zuleta - Culture, Leisure, and Sports

Following the election result, which returned an equal number of Liberal Democrat and Labour councillors, the Liberal Democrat Group has agreed to enter into a Joint Administration with the Conservative Group in order to provide stable political leadership for Southwark over the next four years.

Conservative councillors Kim Humphreys and Toby Eckersley will serve on the Executive in the posts of Housing Management and Resources, with Cllr Humphreys also taking the role of Deputy Leader of the Council.

Both parties agreed that the last four years had seen significant progress across the borough and it would be unfair to residents to risk a return to Labour's high taxes and extremely poor services.

Commenting, Cllr Nick Stanton said:

"I am delighted to be re-elected as the Leader of the Liberal Democrats and look forward to the challenges of the next year."

"The Liberal Democrats have achieved a huge amount in just four years and we will continue to make Southwark even better."

"During the election we received lots of feedback from residents in support of our top priorities and now we will work really hard to implement them. Southwark can look forward to low council tax, more powers for our wardens, increased recycling, 21st century leisure facilities, more affordable homes, and new schools."