Skip to main content

Cabinet members

The Cabinet (also known as the Executive) is the main decision making body of the Council. It is responsible for policies, plans and strategies which must be implemented within the budgetary and policy framework adopted by Full Council.  The Council elects the Leader each year at the Annual General Meeting (usually held in May) and the Leader appoints the rest of the Cabinet.

Each of the 10 members also has individual special responsibility for a particular area of the Council's services. These portfolio areas are determined by the Leader within the Leader’s Scheme of Delegation and are summarised below.


The Leader - Councillor Tudor Evans OBE

Email the Leader: Tudor.Evans@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Chair of Cabinet meetings and may act on behalf of, or instead of any other Cabinet members
  • Liaison with Government
  • Leadership representative of the Council on national and regional bodies
  • The overview of the Council and its resources
  • The Corporate Plan
  • Corporate policy development
  • One Plymouth
  • National Marine Park
  • Capital programme where delegated
  • Designs for the future purpose, functions, shape and size of the organisation
  • HM Dockyard and defence issues
  • Plymouth Fishing industries
  • Economy and Enterprise including Freeport
  • Regional and Local Economic Strategy (including regional transport links)
  • LGA
  • Strategic and commercial projects
  • Member development
  • Democracy and Governance
  • Elections

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children's Social Care, Culture, Events and Communications - Councillor Jemima Laing

The Deputy Leader deputises for the Leader as appropriate in the absence of the Leader and may nominate any Cabinet member to deputise for the Leader in the absence of the Leader and Deputy Leader.

Email the Deputy Leader: Jemima.Laing@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Children Safeguarding
  • Children in Care
  • Children in Need
  • Children’s Social Care.
  • Youth Services
  • Events, Culture, heritage and museums (Including Mount Edgcumbe)
  • Waterfront Partnership
  • The Box
  • Communications
  • Legal
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio

Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care - Councillor Mary Aspinall

Email the Cabinet Member: Mary.Aspinall@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Older people’s services
  • Mental Health services
  • Physical disability services
  • Drug & alcohol services
  • Learning disabilities services
  • Adult public health
  • Adult Safeguarding
  • Dementia friendly city
  • Aging Well Agenda
  • Health and social care
  • Other healthcare matters
  • Children’s mental health
  • Children’s and adult’s dental health
  • Children’s public health
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio

Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Libraries, Cemeteries & Crematoria - Councillor Sally Haydon

Email the Cabinet Member: Sally.Haydon@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Environmental health
  • Trading Standards
  • Taxi Licensing
  • Miscellaneous Licensing
  • Food safety
  • Crime and Anti-social behavior
  • Safer Plymouth Community Safety Partnership
  • Civil Protection and resilience
  • Library service
  • Bereavement and Crematoria
  • Coroners
  • Registration
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio

Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities - Councillor Chris Penberthy

Email the Cabinet Member: Chris.Penberthy@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Cooperative Development
  • Plan for Homes and associated initiatives
  • Building regulations including building safety Corporate property. Land and facilities management
  • Performance management
  • Homelessness
  • Unauthorised encampments and Travellers Policy
  • Welcoming Plymouth including equalities and diversity, asylum seekers and refugees
  • Community engagement
  • Building Stronger Communities including volunteering and community use of Council assets
  • Veterans and Community Covenant
  • Tackling poverty and Child Poverty
  • National welfare policy and Council discretionary welfare funds
  • Street naming
  • Procurement
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio

Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships - Councillor Sally Cresswell

Email the Cabinet Member: Sally.Cresswell@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Post 16 – Education and training
  • Apprenticeships
  • Plan for Education
  • Plymouth Education Board
  • Schools
  • School admissions arrangements
  • Early Years
  • Adult Education
  • Higher and Further Education
  • Skills and Employability
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio
  • SEND

Cabinet Member for Finance - Councillor Mark Lowry

Email the Cabinet Member: Mark.Lowry@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Revenue Budget
  • Capital programme monitoring and oversight
  • District shopping centre revival
  • City Centre Company
  • Revenues and municipal enterprise
  • Health and Wellbeing hubs investment programme
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio

Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport - Councillor Mark Coker

Email the Cabinet Member: Mark.Coker@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Plymouth and South West Devon Joint Local Plan
  • Spatial and infrastructure planning
  • City Change Fund
  • Strategic transport policy including public transport, active travel, community transport, concessionary fares and non- commercial routes
  • Strategic and regional transport
  • Flood risk management
  • City Centre public realm and infrastructure delivery
  • Highways operations and maintenance
  • Pavements
  • Parking
  • Marine services
  • Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Cruise Terminal/Port services
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio

Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change - Councillor Tom Briars-Delve

Email the Cabinet Member: Tom.Briars-Delve@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Climate change
  • Plymouth Net Zero Action Plan
  • Climate Emergency Investment Fund
  • Energy policy, decarbonisation and renewable energy initiatives
  • Commercial and domestic waste management
  • Environmental enforcement
  • Plan for Trees and Tree management
  • Recycling
  • Plastic Free Plymouth
  • Green Estate Management
  • Parks, recreation and sports pitches
  • Air Pollution and Air Quality
  • Street cleaning
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio

Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Sport, Leisure and HR and OD - Councillor Sue Dann

Email the Cabinet Member: Sue.Dann@plymouth.gov.uk

Leads on:

  • Cost of Living Action Plan
  • Human Resources, Organisational development and trade Union liaison
  • Health and Safety
  • Customer services
  • Transformation and Change Oversight
  • Business Support
  • Information technology
  • Information Governance
  • Digital transformation
  • Sports and Leisure
  • Plymouth Active Leisure
  • Fees and charges relating to portfolio