Published: Wednesday, 24th May 2023

Medway Council’s new administration has set out its agenda for the next 100-days, with a key theme of providing the right support directly within communities.

Following the local election on 4 May 2023, the Labour and Co-Operative Group became the leading party responsible for the running of Medway Council’s services.

During Medway’s Annual Council meeting on Wednesday, 24 May, Cllr Vince Maple was elected as the new Leader of Medway Council.

As well as thanking the public for their support and recognising the value of council staff providing support to residents, the new Leader of Medway Council expressed his commitment to supporting residents from all walks of life, and particularly those who need to access support services, including housing and social care.

Cllr Maple took the opportunity to outline the key areas the council would be working on during his first 100-days in post.

During his speech at the meeting, Cllr Maple, said: “In our first 100-days we will start the change people voted for by bringing forward a Cost of Living Plan for Medway, start to tackle the rogue landlords, bring forward recommendations to improve GP services, enhance the democracy of this council, take on the fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour, reaffirm our commitment to our Armed Forces, increase the support for Medway’s small and medium businesses, work hard to ensure we make progress when the next Ofsted inspection of Children’s Services arrives, improve the way residents can interact with the council and much much more.”

Our new Cabinet members

Medway’s new Leader also announced the new Cabinet, who will be responsible for working towards the agenda:

  • Leader Cllr Vince Maple - in charge of Finance and Strategic Overview
  • Deputy Leader Teresa Murray - in charge of Health and Adults’ Services
  • Cllr Adam Price - Children’s Services
  • Cllr Tracy Coombs – Education
  • Cllr Naushabah Khan - Housing and Property
  • Cllr Simon Curry - Climate Change and Strategic Regeneration
  • Cllr Lauren Edwards - Economic Regeneration and Inward Investment
  • Cllr Tris Osborne – Community Safety and Enforcement
  • Cllr Harinder Mahil - Heritage, Culture and Leisure
  • Cllr Zoe van Dyke - Business Management

Cabinet members will also be working with services across the council on a number of other projects including introducing a new neighbourhood warden for each ward, new parks and improved access to green spaces, regenerating Medway’s high streets and creating 1,000 new jobs in Medway by 2027, as well as on climate change, social care provision and better supporting schools.

To kick start the 100-day plan, Cllr Maple and members of the Cabinet will be supporting Volunteers’ Week from 1 to 7 June – a national campaign thanking everyone who contributes their time to make a difference in their communities – and visiting voluntary organisations across Medway.

Leader of Medway Council, Cllr Maple, said: “I am privileged to have been elected and am proud to be representing Medway. I’ve lived nearly all my life in Medway since moving here when my Dad served in the Royal Navy, I was educated in Medway and I’m proud to call Medway home. Everything I have set out during our 100-day plan, and that I hope to achieve over our four-year term, is to help and benefit Medway residents.

“I am looking forward to getting out in the community meeting and working for our residents as the Leader of Medway Council, as well as developing closer relationships with Medway’s partner organisations to achieve more for Medway.”

The full list of ward councillors, Cabinet members and representatives on committees will be updated on our website, at: Medway.gov.uk/Councillor

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