Cabinet members in place

10:00pm Wednesday 14th May 2008

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OPPOSITION Conservatives on Colchester Council have vowed to hold the newly-elected coalition cabinet to account whenever necessary.

A full meeting of the council confirmed Liberal Democrat Anne Turrell's appointment as leader of the council, with Martin Hunt as her deputy.

They will be joined on the cabinet by colleagues Paul Smith, Theresa Higgins and Lyn Barton, as well as Tim Young and Tina Dopson, from coalition partners Labour and Beverley Oxford of the High Woods group.

Mrs Oxford has responsibility for neighbourhoods, including council housing, while Mrs Barton has the regeneration and planning portfolio, and Tim Young has been handed the street and waste services portfolio holder role.

OPPOSITION Outgoing council leader Robert Davidson told the meeting his party had declined the chance to join the coalition in order to provide an opposition to hold the council to account.

"We will be a challenging opposition," he said. "It is good for the borough.

"The borough needs to have somebody who will hold the administration to account.

"We want to make sure the residents in this borough get value for money, and we will hold them to account for that."

At the meeting new councillors were welcomed in and a vote of thanks was given to those who either retired or were voted out at this month's elections, including former cabinet members Roger Buston, Don Henshall and Brian Jarvis as well as Richard Gower, who had served on Colchester Council for 20 years.