New leader and cabinet for Hampshire County Council
Nick Adams-King has taken charge at County Hall today (May 23rd)
Last updated 23rd May 2024
The new county council leader is promising to work “tirelessly” to overcome the challenges and create an “efficient, caring, innovative, and business-friendly” administration.
Councillor Nick Adams-King has been elected the new leader of Hampshire County Council, with the support of its parties, the Conservatives, the Labour Group, the Green Party, and the Independents.
Nick Adams-King, a chartered surveyor by profession, represents the county council division of Romsey Rural. He has been in politics since 2005, when he was first elected as a Bournemouth borough councillor.
He lives in rural Hampshire with his husband, James, a consultant at Southampton General Hospital specialising in geriatrics, and two children.
At the county council’s annual general meeting (AGM), he committed to “working tirelessly” to overcome the challenges the council is facing in collaboration with the opposition, which, he said, has the role of “challenging us”.
Speaking about those financial challenges, where the council has to fill a £132 million budget shortfall by April 2025, he said that the council would continue to find “innovative” ways to “better serve” residents.
“We must continue to innovate and find new ways of working to better serve Hampshire’s 1.4 million residents, making their lives better, their journeys safer, and ensuring they receive the help they need when they need it.”
Regarding the public consultation which has garnered residents’ views on cuts to services such as tips, libraries and school crossing patrols, Cllr Adams-King told residents: “We have heard you, and we will be acting on the items that you ask us to look at.”
He added: “I’m optimistic and I’m optimistic about the future of HCC. Under my leadership, we will strive for an efficient, caring, innovative and business-friendly council. We will care for our environment, tackle climate change, and promote the work we do to protect our most vulnerable residents.
“I will always remember that it is your money we spend. To our business, I promise we will support you and recognise you as the backbone of our county. To the most vulnerable accessing our social care and to those young people in our care, we will continue to protect you all.”
Councillors paid tribute to former councillors Hugh Lumby, who left in March due to medical reasons, and Sean Woodward, as well as Cllr Rob Humby, now the former leader of the county council, who was not present at the AGM.
The new HCC mayor, Cllr Keith Mans, thanked Cllr Humby for his leadership during “hard times.” In the same line, the leader said that Cllr Humby stood down from the council, “knowing he has changed the council for the better, we owe him a huge thanks”.
Cllr Adams-King outlined changes to portfolio responsibilities at a council meeting on Thursday, May 23.
Four changes to the executive were announced, with Cllr Jan Warwick, Cllr Zoe Huggins, Cllr Roz Chadd and Cllr Lulu Bowerman joining and Cllr Edward Heron and Cllr Russell Oppenheimer no longer part of the cabinet.
Cllr Jan Warwick is the new deputy leader and continues holding the portfolio of younger adults and health and wellbeing.
Two new portfolios were created, with Cllr Bowerman holding highways and waste and Cllr Huggins holding Hampshire 2050 (Climate Change, Culture and Partnerships) and HR, communications, and performance.
Cllr Roz Chadd will be responsible for children’s services. Cllr Kirsty North will take on universal services. Cllr Fairhurst and Cllr Forster will continue holding their cabinets, adult social care and public health and education, respectively.
With the changes, a majority of six women now hold cabinet positions.
The new Conservative cabinet and their respective portfolios are:
Cllr Nick Adams-King – Leader and executive member for Hampshire 2050 and Corporate Services
Cllr Jan Warwick – Deputy Leader and executive member for younger adults and health and wellbeing
Cllr Liz Fairhurst – executive member of adult social care and public health
Cllr Zoe Huggins – executive member for Hampshire 2050 (Climate Change, Culture and Partnerships) and HR, communications and performance
Cllr Roz Chadd – executive member for children’s services
Cllr Steve Forster – executive member for education
Cllr Kirsty North – executive member for universal services
Cllr Lulu Bowerman – executive member for highways and waste
The council is now made up of 52 Conservatives, 18 Liberal Democrats, three Labour, two Independents, one Whitehill and Bordon Community Party, one Green, and one unaffiliated.