DUDLEY Council’s cabinet has been given a shake-up with the introduction of new faces and a new deputy leader.

Two new councillors have been added to the top decision-making team including Amblecote councillor Paul Bradley as deputy leader.

There are also changes to the portfolios to drive the council’s priorities for the next year.

Councillor Phil Atkins has been brought in as cabinet member for corporate strategy to look at commercial opportunities for the council.

There is also a new communities and economic delivery portfolio headed up by Cllr Bradley, to bolster the £1billion worth of regeneration projects underway in the borough and forge tighter links with the business community.

Councillor Patrick Harley, leader of Dudley Council, said: "We have brought some new faces to the cabinet and looked at the remit of each cabinet member too to make sure we are in the strongest possible position to bring continued improvements to the people of this borough.

"There’s lots more work to be done to build on the successes we have already achieved, and this is the right team to do it."

The new cabinet in full is:

Councillor Patrick Harley - leader (policy)

Councillor Paul Bradley - deputy leader, communities and economic delivery

Councillor Natalie Neale - adult social care

Councillor Ruth Buttery - children’s services and education

Councillor Rob Clinton - climate change

Councillor Phil Atkins - corporate strategy

Councillor Steve Clark - finance, legal and human resources

Councillor Damian Corfield - highways and environmental services

Councillor Laura Taylor-Childs - housing and safer communities

Councillor Ian Bevan - public health