Cllr George Nobbs has been re-elected as Leader of Norfolk County Council following a meeting of Full Council at County Hall today (Tuesday 27 May).
Cllr Nobbs, who represents the Crome division in Norwich for Labour, was elected by 43 votes to 40, with Liberal Democrat Cllr David Harrison of Aylsham division elected as Deputy Leader by the same margin.
Cllr Nobbs first became Leader of the Council in May 2013 following the County Council elections.
The County Council is now moving to a new committee based decision making system, with the following Committee Chairs also appointed at today’s meeting:
- Adult Social Care Committee – Cllr Sue Whitaker (Labour) as Chair; Cllr Elizabeth Morgan (Green) as Vice Chair
- Children’s Services Committee – Cllr James Joyce (Liberal Democrat) as Chairman; Cllr Richard Bearman (Green) as Vice Chair
- Communities Committee – Cllr Paul Smyth (UKIP) as Chairman; Cllr Margaret Wilkinson (Labour) as Vice Chair
- Environment, Development and Transport Committee – Cllr Toby Coke (UKIP) as Chairman; Cllr John Timewell (Liberal Democrat) as Vice Chair
- Cllr Nobbs and Cllr Harrison take the Chair and Vice Chair of the Policy and Resources Committee
All five committees will be meeting for the first time in June, with the Adult Social Care Committee the first to take place under the new system on Monday 16 June.
The leadership of the Economic Development Sub-Committee will be chosen when that committee first meets on Thursday 26 June.
Liberal Democrat councillor Brian Hannah, who represents Sheringham ward, was elected as the new Norfolk County Council Chairman at the meeting with no opposition, with Cllr Rex Parkinson-Hare, of the UKIP group for Yarmouth Nelson and Southtown ward, elected Vice Chairman.
At the meeting councillors also discussed a report on the remaining deficit facing the County Council following the termination of the Willows contract.
The Council agreed that just over £1m be found from highways maintenance (£900,000) with a further £140,000 coming from the libraries book fund.
They agreed that if savings options which have a less direct impact on services emerge during 2014, substitution of these would be an acceptable policy option.
