· Leading on efforts to boost trade and the local economy in town centres, supporting small businesses, markets and Business Improvement Districts
· Responsible for effective communication with businesses
· Overseeing the Regulatory Services Partnership
· Leading on trading standards and commercial environmental health
· Working with organisations in the borough’s thriving arts and cultural Communities
· Ensuring all equalities strands (sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy/maternity, religion/belief, age, marriage and civil partnerships) are embedded throughout council performance and the impact on these groups of austerity is minimised
· Oversight of the Council’s Equality Strategy and Equality Impact Assessments and drawing up an Equalities Charter
· Supporting the Merton Council staff BAME Forum
· Support and development of the LGBT+ forum
· Support and development of the Faith and Belief Forum
· Overseeing community engagement, including Community Plan, increased participation in local decision making and increasing social capital
· Overseeing the council’s community partnerships, including specific focus on the voluntary sector.
· Promoting and rewarding local action and volunteering
· Leading on the management of grants to community groups and decisions of Grants Committee
· Chair of the Merton Compact Board.
· Overseeing voluntary sector organisations applying to become Refugee Community Sponsors
· Reducing the threat of crime and anti-social behaviour in Merton and working closely with Police and Community Safety partnerships
· Leading on a knife crime strategy for the borough
· Point of contact with Borough Command Unit and Deputy Mayor for Crime and Safety
· Overseeing CCTV operations
· Joint responsibility for Merton’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy
· Oversight of the Council’s Preventing Violent Extremism strategy
· Support and development of Merton’s Armed Forces Community Covenant
· Lead member on Emergency Planning
To view contact details for the current Cabinet Member, click on the link below.