Haringey Council announces new Leader and cabinet member for children and young people
Tuesday 9 December 2008
Cllr Claire Kober has been elected as the new Leader of Haringey Council.
The Council also elected Cllr Lorna Reith as cabinet member for children and young people.
Cllr Matt Cooke was elected to replace Cllr Reith as cabinet member for community cohesion and involvement.
Said Cllr Kober:
“My immediate priority is to ensure that robust arrangements are in place to safeguard children across our borough. I will introduce whatever changes are necessary to enable this council to regain the confidence of local residents.”
Cllr Reith added:
“We have taken full responsibility for all the failings in our child protection service.
“I welcome the appointment by the Government of an interim Director of Children’s Services. As the incoming cabinet member for children and young people I will be working with him to ensure we make all the improvements necessary for the protection of children in Haringey.”
The elections at this evening’s meeting of the Full Council followed the resignations last week of former Leader Cllr George Meehan and cabinet member for children and young people Cllr Liz Santry.
Biographical details
Cllr Kober was elected as Haringey councillor in May 2006 and represents the Seven Sisters ward. She previously served as Chief Whip.
Claire’s professional career has been spent in the voluntary sector managing policy and campaigns work on child poverty, domestic violence and disability rights.
She is chair of governors of Earlham primary school and a governor of Gladesmore community school.
Lorna Reith was elected as a councillor for Tottenham Hale in 2003. She is deputy leader of the council and previously held the cabinet post for community cohesion and involvement. She was previously chief executive of a national disability charity.
Matt Cooke was elected as a councillor for Bounds Green ward in May 2006. He previously chaired the Alexandra Palace and Park Trust Board, is a governor at Bounds Green School and Woodside HighSchool, and sits on the Hornsey Town Hall community partnership board.
He has taught music as conflict resolution, in America, Israel and the West Bank, most recently in 2006 with the Al-Kamandjati association.
He now runs a busy office within Parliament.
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