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New Chair and Cabinet positions

Date
The front of North Herts Council's office building, on a sunny day with a tree standing in front and blue sky in the background.

Following our Annual Council meeting last night (22 May), our Chair for 2025/26 is Cllr Keith Hoskins. The Vice-Chair is Cllr Sadie Billing.

The Chair is elected by all members of the council and is the civic leader for North Herts. They chair all meetings of the Council and represent the council at a wide range of public events on a non-party political basis.

Outgoing Chair Cllr Clare Billing raised £1,859.08 for her chosen charity, Sands, which works to support anyone affected by the death of a baby. 

There were no district elections this year and North Herts Council continues to be run as a Labour & Co-operative ‘minority administration’, this is when a party governs a council despite not having more than half of all councillors. We have 51 councillors spread across 25 wards, so a party would need 26 councillors.

Cllr Daniel Allen (Labour & Co-operative) is still Leader of North Herts Council, the Liberal Democrat Group Leader continues as Cllr Ruth Brown, and the Conservative Group Leader continues as Cllr Ralph Muncer.

The Leader of the Council chairs all meetings of the Cabinet and leads on policy development.

The Cabinet is now:

  • Cllr Daniel Allen – Leader of the Council and Executive Member for Governance (legal, democratic services, community, partnerships, policy, safeguarding)
  • Cllr Val Bryant – Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Customers (customer service, IT, information management, communications, Herts Careline)
  • Cllr Tamsin Thomas – Executive Member for Enterprise (museums, economic development, tourism, estates)
  • Cllr Amy Allen – Executive Member for Environment (recycling and waste management, leisure, health and active communities, greenspace, climate change)
  • Cllr Donna Wright – Executive Member for Place (planning and transport)
  • Cllr Mick Debenham – Executive Member for Regulatory (housing, environmental health, community safety, licensing)
  • Cllr Ian Albert – Executive Member for Resources (finance / accountancy, human resources, emergency planning, insurance and risk, procurement, performance)
  • Cllr Laura Williams – Executive Member for Local Government Reorganisation / Devolution

The Cabinet will be supported by Special Interest Member Champions to focus on specific areas and these are:

  • Cllr Cathy Brownjohn – Young people
  • Cllr Emma Fernandes – Environment
  • Cllr Daniel Wright-Mason – Housing

A fourth Special Interest Champion will be announced at a later stage to cover Health. 

Cllr Daniel Allen said: “I am delighted to have Keith as Chair of the Council. I'm excited to bring forward a new Cabinet and thank all councillors for their help over the last civic year. The minority Labour-led council will continue to work for a fairer, greener North Herts.”

More information about the composition of the council, who your local councillors are and council meetings: Your council

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