BROMSGROVE District Council is set to consider a committee-style system as a new cabinet is formed.

On May 24, the council’s new make up was decided after a historic local election in May which saw the Conservatives lose control of the council for the first time since 1999.

The new look cabinet is made up of four Conservatives members and three Independent group members.

Cllr Karen May remains as leader of the council, with Independent councillor Sue Baxter as deputy leader.

Portfolio holder for finance and enabling is independent Cllr Charlie Hotham, who is joined by fellow Independent Cllr Steve Colella as portfolio holder for leisure, culture and climate change.

Conservative councillors, Cllr Shirley Webb, Cllr Whittaker, and Cllr Kit Taylor take up the roles of portfolio holder for health and wellbeing and strategic housing, portfolio holder for environmental services and portfolio holder for planning, licencing and Worcestershire Regulatory Services.

Councillors elected Cllr Sam Ammar as Chairman of the Council, and Cllr Bakul Kumar as Deputy Chairman.

Leader of the council, Cllr Karen May, said: “Following the election I reached out to all groups and in the spirit of cross-party working we have now formed a cabinet of members of both the Conservative and Independent political groups to support the delivery of services and the betterment of Bromsgrove district.

“As leader, I have named Cllr Sue Baxter as deputy leader.

“The council has also elected Cllr Ammar, from the Labour group, as its chairman.”

Cllr Ammar said: “It’s a huge privilege and an honour to have been elected as Chairman of Bromsgrove District Council.

“I will dedicate myself to the people of Bromsgrove district and represent this great constituency as an ambassador for the council.”

Outgoing chairman Rod Laight was thanked for his service, including all his work supporting fundraising for his chosen charity, Primrose Hospice.

Deputy leader, Cllr Sue Baxter, said: “We have a fantastic opportunity ahead of us to work together across all political parties and groups to build a council that makes decisions democratically, builds on the work it already does to support our communities, and helps those communities prosper across the whole of Bromsgrove District.”

Councillors also approved a motion tabled by Cllr Peter McDonald to prepare a report to explore the options around transitioning the governance system of the council from its current ‘leader and cabinet’ system to a ‘committee’ system. The report is due by September.

Any change to the council’s governance system would require a vote of the full council in due course.