·         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.