Shepway's Hokey-Cokey Cabinet: Waters Rejoins

Shepway Council Leader Robert Bliss has announced that Cllr Carole Waters is rejoining the Shepway Cabinet with immediate effect as District Secretary for Regeneration, Sport & Culture. The cabinet of 7 was increased by the new Conservative administration to 10 in May 2007 at a cost of around £25,000 a year in expenses to Shepway tax payers.

Carole Waters then stepped down as District Secretary for Community Regeneration late last year, and the cabinet was reorganised to 9 members. Today's move puts it back to 10, and costs Shepway tax payers around an additional £8,000 a year.

Robert Bliss' statement said:

"Following a spell out of the Cabinet, for personal reasons, I am pleased to announce that Carole Waters has rejoined as the District Secretary for Regeneration, Sport & Culture."

Lib Dem Group Leader Lynne Beaumont commented:

"Management at Shepway is becoming a farce. If, which would have been perfectly understandable, Carole Waters was temporarily stepping down for personal reasons a few months ago, why was it not said it was temporary at the time? Why did someone else not cover those responsibilities for a few months?

"And if, after a time consuming re-organisation of responsibilities, it was felt possible to work without Cllr Waters, then why is she back?

"The cabinet has gone from 7 members, to 10, to 9 and back to 10 in under 9 months. It's not joined up local government - its Hokey Cokey Cabinet."