Kent County Councillor Matthew Balfour has been removed from his role as a Cabinet member at the authority.
KCC members received notification of Cllr Balfour’s changed status from the authority’s monitoring officer.
Cllr Balfour was the Conservative cabinet member for planning, highways, transport and waste since February 2015.
He has most recently been at the forefront of unpopular proposals to cut subsidies for some bus services in Kent but, despite speculation, it is said this was not the basis for KCC leader Paul Carter’s decision to remove him from the Cabinet role.
Cllr Mike Whiting has now been appointed as Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste. Cllr Whiting was elected in June 2009 as the Conservative Member for Swale Central. He was appointed Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills in September 2011, but lost his seat in the 2013 KCC elections. He then won the seat for Swale West in 2017.
He said: “I am delighted to have been offered the opportunity to return to Cabinet and am looking forward to the challenge ahead.”
Cllr Carter said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Matthew for his hard work and dedication as Cabinet Member for the past three years.”
Cllr Balfour said “It’s been a real privilege and a pleasure to work with the KCC officers responsible for our road network, planning and the environment and I wish them well for the future.’
Thanet Labour member and county councillor Barry Lewis says he believes the wrong man has been told to step down.
He added: “I think the person that should be ‘sacked’ is (KCC leader) Paul Carter not one of his disciples.”
