By Daniel Wood – KLTV Contributor
Leader of Kirklees Council, Cllr Shabir Pandor, has appointed Cllr Paul Davies (Holme Valley South) to his Cabinet with immediate effect.
The appointment comes after the resignation of three Labour cabinet members last week. Cllr Paul Davies will fill the void left by Cllr Rob Walker.
The trio quit in protest at Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to block former party leader from sitting as a Labour MP.
Labour administration no longer have a majority on the council after the resignations.
Cllr Davies, a primary school teacher and former coal face electrician who only joined the council last year, will take on the Culture and Greener Kirklees portfolio.
Cllr Pandor said: “I’m really pleased that Paul has agreed to join the team as my new Cabinet Member. With the challenges we are facing in Kirklees, it was important to act quickly and make this appointment.
“Paul’s dedication as a ward councillor in Holme Valley is outstanding. He also represents one of the wards in the Colne Valley constituency. His sense of public duty makes him the right choice for this role at a critical moment.”
He also urged that while Covid-19 infection rates are coming down, it is essential that everybody works together to ensure a sustained reduction. Preparing for a vaccination programme is also vital for the road to recovery for Kirklees, according to Cllr Pandor.
He continued by saying: “I’ve said before that Kirklees’ recovery will affect even more lives than the pandemic. That’s why Paul, alongside the rest of my Cabinet, is as committed and determines as ever to delivering a recovery that works for everyone.
Cllr Pandor has promised that the Cabinet can achieve everything they set out to do, which includes building an economy that leaves no one behind, giving children the best possible start in life, and delivering services that people really value.
He finished off by assuring that: “Kirklees can come back stronger from the crisis. That is the challenge my team can, and will, overcome.”
Only time will tell if Cllr Pandor can keep his promises to the residents of Kirklees and if the borough will be able to bounce back from the pandemic after the cabinet shake up.