About the Cabinet

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What is the Cabinet?

The Cabinet, also known as the Executive, is the main policy-making body of the Council and carries out Council functions that are not the responsibility of any other part of the Council, whether by law or under the constitution. It consists of an Executive Leader together with at least two, but no more than nine, Councillors appointed by the Executive Leader.

At Wigan, the Cabinet (Executive) consists of eight senior Councillors who are each ‘Portfolio Holders’ for a major area of responsibility.

The Leader will maintain a list, setting out which individual Cabinet members are responsible for particular functions.

In accordance with the Local Government Acts 1972 and 2000, they will not have decision-making powers in their own right.

See below names of portfolios of the eight Cabinet members and eight Lead members.

Cabinet members 2026/27

• Cllr Nazia Rehman - Executive Leader and Portfolio holder for Finance
• Cllr Keith Cunliffe - Deputy Leader and Portfolio holder for Adult Social Care
• Cllr Paul Kenny - Portfolio holder for Planning, Environmental Services and Transport
• Cllr Laura Flynn - Portfolio holder for Children and Families
• Cllr Susan Gambles - Portfolio holder for Housing and Welfare
• Cllr Chris Ready - Portfolio holder for Communities and Neighbourhoods
• Cllr Kevin Anderson - Portfolio holder for Police, Crime and Civil Contingencies
• Cllr Dane Anderton - Portfolio holder for Economic Development and Regeneration.

Lead members 2026/27

• Cllr Yvonne Klieve - Town Centres
• Cllr Martyn Smethurst - Armed Forces
• Cllr Lawrence Hunt - Housing and Communities
• Cllr Lee McStein - Residents and Environment
• Cllr Eileen Rigby - Women, Girls, Domestic Abuse and Equalities
• Cllr Paul Molyneux - Digital, Resources and Comms
• Cllr Sheila Ramsdale - Heritage and Culture

If you have any further questions, you can contact the Cabinet Office on 01942 827744.