Council elects new leader

SOUTH Oxfordshire District Council has elected a new leader.

David Rouane, a Liberal Democrat, takes over from Sue Cooper, who resigned after two years in charge.

Councillor Cooper, who represents Benson and Crowmarsh for the Lib-Dems, remains the council’s cabinet member for environment, climate change and nature recovery.

Councillor Rouane, who works in the charity sector, has been a district councillor for Didcot North East since 2019 and is also the county councillor for Didcot Ladygrove.

He said: “I’m very proud to have been chosen as Cllr Cooper’s successor.

“Sue has done an excellent job as leader — she has overseen the development and adoption of an ambitious and exciting corporate plan and the creation of the council’s first advisory committee to tackle the climate and ecological emergencies and her leadership helped steer the council through the difficult pandemic while providing vital support to the most vulnerable members of our community.

“Sue has laid the foundations on which we need to build. I will be pushing ahead with the actions set out in our corporate plan to tackle climate change, promote nature recovery and build social housing.”

Councillor Maggie Filipova-
Rivers, who represents Goring for the Lib-Dems, has a number of cabinet roles, including deputy leader for six months of the year.

Councillor Leigh Rawlins, who represents Sonning Common for the Lib-Dems, is cabinet member for finance and Councillor Andrea Powell, who represents Benson and Crowmarsh for the Green Party, is cabinet member for corporate services.

The district council has been run by a Liberal Democrat-Green coalition since taking control from the Conservatives at the 2019 local elections.