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The unpopular Cllr Guy MacGregor, who told Haverhill it could not have pedestrianisation, has been sacked from the new Suffolk County Council cabinet.

The leader of Suffolk County Council announced on Friday who he intends to appoint to his cabinet on May 23.

There's no place in it for Cllr MacGregor, who had been portfolio holder for transport. Instead he has been asked to take over the more ceremonial role of chairman of the council.

Council leader Cllr Mark Bee’s reshaped cabinet places responsibility for education, the council’s key priority, at the top of the organisation and sees three new faces join the top team.

It also sees the creation of a new role - cabinet member for localities. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring the work of the council supports local initiatives being delivered across Suffolk, including in the major towns of Ipswich, Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds.

The new transport portfolio holder is Cllr Graham Newman, who had been in charge of education, and the fact that he has been moved when the focus has been stated to be that area, may show less confidence in his abilities, especially as during his watch the county fell to near the bottom of the school league tables.

He was last in Haverhill officially for the opening of Westfield Primary School.

The proposed new cabinet is as follows:
Cllr Bee - leader and cabinet member for resource management;
Cllr Lisa Chambers - deputy leader and cabinet member for education, skills and young people;
Cllr Colin Noble - cabinet member for finance and property;
Cllr Richard Smith - cabinet member for economic development, environment and planning;
Cllr Colin Spence - cabinet member for public protection;
Cllr Graham Newman - cabinet member for roads and transport;
Cllr Rebecca Hopfensperger - cabinet member for localities;
Cllr Alan Murray - cabinet member for health and adult care.

Cllr Bee said: “No one is under any illusion that the challenges Suffolk faces in the next four years are unprecedented and as such, the county council needs the strongest possible team to lead our response.

“The cabinet I have created provides that strength and combines an important mix of experience and new talent.

“Improving the educational attainment of Suffolk children is our top priority, which is why I have made it the direct responsibility of the deputy leader, and set out plans to create a new scrutiny committee specifically on this issue.

“My proposals also give more say on decision-making to backbench and opposition councillors.

“I’m confident that these changes will put the county council in the strongest possible position to overcome the challenges we face.”

As part of the changes, a scrutiny committee will be set up specifically looking at education, attainment and schools in Suffolk.

Proposals to set up select committees – one for each cabinet member area, have also been made.

Each select committee will look at policy development in that area, giving backbench and opposition councillors more say in how decisions are made. The number of meetings of the full council is also being considered.