A new executive cabinet team has been unveiled at Dudley Council - including a new leader.

Councillor Patrick Harley was named leader of the council at a meeting of the full council last night (Thursday), with Councillor David Vickers being made deputy leader of the cabinet. Councillor Qadar Zada becomes leader of the opposition, with Councillor Judy Foster becoming deputy leader.

The switch comes after the local election results, revealed on 3rd May, saw a tie with both parties having 36 councillors each. The casting vote from the new Mayor of Dudley, Cllr David Stanley, saw the power shift back to the Conservatives.

Cllr Stanely, who was previously Mayor of Dudley in 2007, named Cllr Anne Millward, a former leader of the council, as his consort. Cllr Hilary Bills continues in her role as Deputy Mayor with her husband continuing as her consort.

The Mayor also announced two charities he wants to support during the year in office - Macmillan Cancer Support and Wildlife Trusts Birmingham and Black Country.

Cabinet in full
Councillor Patrick Harley - Leader
Councillor David Vickers - deputy leader, partnerships and best practice
Councillor Nicolas Barlow - health and adult social care
Councillor Ruth Buttery - children and young people
Councillor Simon Phipps - procurement, transformation and commercialisation
Councillor Karen Shakespeare - environmental, highways and street services
Councillor Steve Clark - finance and legal services
Councillor Angus Lees - west midlands combined authority
Councillor Laura Taylor - housing, communities and residents welfare
Councillor Ian Kettle - regeneration and enterprise

Shadow cabinet in full
Councillor Qadar Zada - group leader
Councillor Judy Foster - deputy group leader
Councillor Sue Ridney - children and young people
Councillor Keiran Casey - communities
Councillor Pete Lowe - finance, council sustainability and transformation
Councillor Cathy Bayton - health and adult social care
Councillor John Martin - highways and environment
Councillor Shaukat - housing and residents’ welfare
Councillor Bec Gentle - partnerships, commercial and best practice
Councillor Khurshid Ahmed - regeneration, planning and economic investment