The leader of Brighton and Hove City Council has selected her cabinet as the authority prepares to transition to a new decision-making process.

Councillor Bella Sankey has appointed nine councillors to cabinet positions ahead of the change to the council’s governance arrangements, which are due to be ratified at the annual meeting of the council on May 16.

The new cabinet will provide the political leadership at the city council, with each cabinet member taking responsibility for their portfolio areas. Key decisions will be taken collectively at monthly public cabinet meetings.

In March, members voted through the decision to change the council’s governance arrangements from the committee system to cabinet at a meeting of the full council.

A report setting out the proposed changes said a cabinet system is “considered to be a more efficient governance model which is more reflective of the overall majority control and better placed to respond to the challenging budget pressures”.

The report added that the new system would be more “streamlined”.

The ten cabinet members are:

Councillor Bella Sankey - leader of the council and cabinet chairwoman

Councillor Jacob Taylor - deputy leader and cabinet member for finance and city regeneration

Councillor Gill Williams - deputy leader and cabinet member for housing and new homes

Councillor Emma Daniel - cabinet member for children, families and youth services

Councillor Tristram Burden - cabinet member for adult social care and service transformation

Councillor Tim Rowkins – cabinet member for net zero and environmental services

Councillor Trevor Muten – cabinet member for transport, parking and public realm

Councillor Leslie Pumm – cabinet member for communities, equalities and human rights

Councillor Birgit Miller – cabinet member for culture, heritage and tourism

Councillor Alan Robins – cabinet member for sports and recreation

Cllr Sankey has also appointed four cabinet advisers, who will serve one-year terms and will focus on specific policy areas and key projects.

The four cabinet advisors for 2024-25 are:

Councillor Ty Goddard – cabinet adviser for regional partnerships and economic growth.

Councillor Mitchie Alexander – cabinet adviser for community engagement, food insecurity and allotments.

Councillor Paul Nann – cabinet adviser for a homeless hub. Cllr Nann will lead the development of a city homeless hub, with the aim of co-locating services and support to end rough sleeping.

Councillor Joy Robinson – cabinet advisor for contract management and procurement.

Chairmen and deputy chairmen have also been appointed to the council’s regulatory committees, while chairmen of the three overview and scrutiny committees were elected on Monday night by the Labour group.

The overview and scrutiny committees on place, people and health will review and scrutinise decisions made by the cabinet and will influence policy. Councillors in policy lead roles will drive policy development and implementation on a number of Labour’s priorities.

The regulatory committee chairmen are:

Councillor Liz Loughran – chairwoman of the planning committee

Councillor David McGregor – chairman of licensing committee

Councillor Josh Guilmant – opposition spokesman on the audit and standards committee

Councillor Bruno De Oliveira – chairman of the health and wellbeing board

The overview and scrutiny chairmen are:

Councillor Jackie O’Quinn – chairwoman of people overview and scrutiny committee

Councillor Amanda Evans – chairwoman of place overview and scrutiny committee

Councillor Theresa Fowler – chairwoman of health overview and scrutiny committee

The mayor and deputy mayor for 24/25 are:

Councillor Mohammed Asaduzzaman – Mayor of Brighton and Hove

Councillor Amanda Grimshaw – deputy mayor of Brighton and Hove

Leader-appointed policy lead roles for 24/25 are:

Councillor Julie Cattell - major projects and built environment; human resources

Councillor Amanda Evans - community wealth building

Councillor Jilly Stevens - customer service

Councillor Paul Nann - homelessness

Councillor Gary Wilkinson - park and ride

Councillor Amanda Grimshaw - disability rights including accessibility strategy; armed forces champion

Councillor Tobias Sheard - private rental sector

Councillor Ty Galvin - ageing well

Councillor Josh Guilmant - co-lead sport and leisure

Councillor John Hewitt - co-lead sport and leisure

Councillor Maureen Winder - green spaces and equalities

Councillor Alison Thomson - city centre renewal

Councillor Andrei Czolak - community safety; mental health

Councillor Theresa Fowler - South Downs National Park and marine biodiversity; animal welfare

Councillor David McGregor - communications lead

Councillor Paul Nann - IT and digital

“I’m pleased to have appointed a team that has the drive, energy and knowledge to deliver for our city at pace,” said Cllr Sankey.

“We are determined to be forward-thinking and continue to put residents at the heart of everything we do.

“I'm proud to lead the most inclusive group of councillors the city has ever had, which reflects our rich and culturally diverse communities, including significant LGBTQ+ representation and our first Muslim mayor this year. As a mixed heritage woman, I know that diversity is strength and am pleased to have achieved gender parity across the senior positions in this new system of governance.

“Over the past few months I have spent time learning from other councils with a leader and cabinet system to understand how best to make this system work. As a result, I am introducing the new position of cabinet advisor. Cabinet advisers will focus on a priority area of policy or an initiative that our administration wants to deliver, in line with our manifesto commitments and our council plan.

“This is a moment of opportunity for our city, which is only possible because we have a majority Labour council. We do not take that for granted and look forward with ambition to this next chapter for Brighton and Hove.”