A NEW slimmed down Blackburn with Darwen Council executive board has been confirmed

Borough leader Cllr Mohammed Khan presented a report to the council's annual meeting which was approved, confirming the new executive board, reduced from eight to seven after the cut in councillors from 64 to 51.

Cllr Khan reappointed Cllr Phil Riley as responsible for regeneration and Cllr Andy Kay for resources.

Cllr Maureen Bateson takes over the new merged children’s services, young people and education brief as former schools boss Cllr Dave Harling steps down from the executive board.

Cllr Brian Taylor will be responsible for health and adult social care after previous postholder Mustafa Ali Desai did not stand for re-election.

Cllr Shaukat Hussain takes over neighbourhood and prevention services after previous postholder Arshid Mahmood failed to be elected.

Leisure and culture remains with Cllr Damian Talbot and environment with Cllr Jim Smith.

Borough Tory group leader Cllr John Slater's shadow cabinet has also been confirmed.

He appointed retiring mayor Cllr Collin Rigby back to the post of resources spokesman he held before his year of office.

The Conservative group’s deputy leaders will be Cllr Denise Gee with a floating portfolio and Cllr Derek Hardman responsible for regeneration.

Cllr Paul Marrow will deal with environment, Cllr Jean Rigby culture and leisure, Cllr Jacquie Slater adult social care, Cllr Julie Daley children’s services and education, and Julie Slater neighbourhoods.

Ahead of the meeting, Cllr Khan said community cohesion would be one of his top priorities after being confirmed in his post after Labour’s local election victory last week.

He said the issue and showing the world that claims in the BBC Panorama documentary White Fright: Divided Britain that Blackburn was becoming more divided were crucial.

Cllr Khan said adult social care with a growing elderly population was a major challenge.

Cllr Slater has pledged to make opposition to the town centre Reel Cinema development and a return to weekly bin collections his top priorities as he committed to party to firmly holding the re-elected Labour administration to account over its spending.

He also repeated the group’s wish to abolish the £116,000-a-year plus post of deputy chief executive held by Denise Park as part of cash-saving proposals.