Leader makes Cabinet changes to put focus on housing and financial improvement

Shropshire Council’s new Cabinet

Changes to the membership of Shropshire Council’s Cabinet together with the roles they perform, come into effect today (Thursday 14 May 2026).

Chosen by the Leader of the Council, Cabinet is responsible for most of the council’s day-to-day decisions, leads in the preparation of its policies and recommends the budget to Council.

The changes see one new portfolio created and several changed or slimmed down to allow a greater focus on the council’s core priorities.

From today the Cabinet is as follows:

• Leader – Heather Kidd (deputy for policy delivery – Alison Williams)
• Deputy Leader; Transformation and Economic Growth – Alex Wagner (deputy Sho Abdul)
• Finance –Roger Evans (deputy David Minnery)
• Adult Social Care and Public Health – Ruth Houghton (deputy Rosie Radford)
• Children & Education – Andy Hall
• Planning – David Walker
• Highways & Waste – David Vasmer
• Housing – James Owen
• Transport & Regeneration – Rob Wilson (deputy Robert Jones)
• Communities and Environment – Sarah Marston (deputy Tom Dainty)

Click here to see a full list of Cabinet members, the areas for which they’re responsible, and deputy Cabinet members.

Sarah Marston has been appointed to newly-created Communities and Environment portfolio, which covers libraries, sport and leisure, youth services, environmental services and partnership working.

The Cabinet portfolios held by Councillors Roger Evans, David Vasmer, Rob Wilson, James Owen are being changed or slimmed down.

Ruth Houghton will be taking on health alongside her adult social care role. The children’s services part of the role will be taken on by Andy Hall as part of his education brief.

Deputy Leader Alex Wagner will take on a new role leading on the push for savings, transformation and economic strategy, bringing together financial improvement, corporate services and economic growth in a single portfolio.

David Walker remains unchanged in his planning portfolio.

Leader of the Council Heather Kidd said:

“We’ve made real progress in getting a firmer grip on the Council’s finances.

“This next phase is about turning stabilisation into lasting improvement. It will take a huge collective effort to make the Council financially sustainable, and to stay tough and disciplined in the decisions we take.

“These changes will ensure we have more focussed Cabinet portfolios and help align political leadership with that crucial task.”