A NEW era has dawned at East Hampshire District Council, where officers and members are coming to grips with a fresh system of decision-making.

The former committee-style system has now been replaced by a new cabinet and leader structure with a system of panels and area community committees feeding into it.

It is a system which was on the horizon long before many of the current councillors were elected and one that has caused dismay, controversy and confusion.

But the one certainty was always that it would happen because government legislation dictated that it would.

There were three choices laid down by central government and East Hampshire District Council has chosen the cabinet and leader system.

One of the key functions of the council, deciding planning applications, will however remain unchanged. Planning debates will continue to be held as before in the north and south planning committees.

The four area community committees will also remain as before, with members of the public being encouraged to attend and take part in debates and make comments which will form the basis of the area community action plans.

There are three forums under the new system where decisions can be made – the cabinet, the area community committees and the full council.

The hub of the new process is the one-party cabinet of ten councillors, headed by leader of the council Elizabeth Cartwright and her deputy, Sam James. There are nine Tories and one independent member of the first cabinet.

Cabinet members have their own areas of responsibility as follows:

Sue Halstead: development.

Ferris Cowper: finance and economic development.

Geoffrey Whittle: health.

Andrew Pattie: recreation and leisure.

Patrick Burridge: environment and countryside.

John Venning: housing and community.

Jacinta Standen: transport and traffic.

Maurice Johnson: corporate services.

The full council will meet more often than before, once a month.

It is hoped that full council meetings will become more lively than the rubber-stamping meetings they have tended to become in recent years.

The new system has been criticised by some councillors who believe it will take powers away from ordinary members, turning them into so-called back-benchers with little input at the cutting edge of debate.

But full council meetings will provide an important platform for local councillors to raise issues on behalf of the people they represent.

And many decisions will still be taken by full council. Most importantly, the final decision on the council's annual budget will continue be made at this meeting once it has been thrashed out by the cabinet.

There are eight panels corresponding to the eight portfolio holders in the cabinet. Every councillor sits on at least one panel. It is hoped to include members of the public with special areas of expertise on these panels.

Keeping an eye on the decision-making of the cabinet and the council is the overview and scrutiny committe.

This is how the new structure will look:

Council chairman: Peter Rodgers (Lib Dem).

Council vice-chairman: Chris Butler (Con).

Council leader: Elizabeth Cartwright (Con).

Deputy leader: Sam James (Con).

Leader of the minority group: Teresa Jamieson (Lib Dem).

Deputy leader of the minority group: Tony Ludlow.

Cabinet: Chairman Elizabeth Cartwright (Con., leader of the council), Sam James (Con., deputy leader), Sue Halstead (Ind., development), Ferris Cowper (Con., finance and economic development), Geoffrey Whittle (Con., health and environmental health), Andrew Pattie (Con., recreation and leisure), Patrick Burridge (Con., environment and countryside), John Venning (Con., housing and community), Jacinta Standen (Con., transport and traffic), Maurice Johnson (Con., corporate services).

Overview and Scrutiny Committee: Tony Ludlow (Lib Dem). Peter Bradbury (Lib Dem), Stewart Glasgow (Con), Anna James (Con), Teresa Jamieson (Lib Dem), Minette Palmer (Con), Brian Dutton (Con), Peter Wonson (Ind).

PANELS

Development Policy: Sue Halstead (Ind), Minette Palmer (Con), Pat Burridge (Con), David Clegg, John Crowhurst (Lib Dem), Anna James (Con), Andrew Pattie (Con), Bryan Timms (Lib Dem), Michael Watkinson (Lib Dem).

Transport and Traffic: Stewart Glasgow (Con), Bob Booker (Lib Dem), Peter Bradbury (Lib Dem), Kenneth Graham (Lib Dem), Sam James (Con), Jacinta Standen (Con), Anne Storey (Ind).

Health and Environmental Health: Dorothy Denston (Con), Pat Cole (Lib Dem), Harry Cunliffe (Lib Dem), Yvonne Parker Smith (Con), Sara Schillemore (Con), Michael Watkinson (Lib Dem), Geoffrey Whittle (Con).

Economic Development and Tourism: Richard Hope (Con), John Crowhurst (Lib Dem), Bryan Timms (Lib Dem), Bob Ayer (Con), Geoffrey Whittle (Con), Ferris Cowper (Con), Peter Wonson (Ind).

Sports, Leisure and Arts: Brian Dutton (Con), Chris Butler (Con), Zoya Faddy (Lib Dem), Kenneth Graham (Lib Dem), Jim McKell (Lib Dem), Andrew Pattie (Con), Philippa Tyrwhitt-Drake (Con).

Housing and Community Needs: Philippa Tyrwhitt-Drake (Con), Pamela Bradford (Lib Dem), Elizabeth Cartwright (Con), Zoya Faddy (Lib Dem), John Happel (Con), Teresa Jamieson (Lib Dem), John Venning (Con).

Environment and the Countryside: Judy Onslow (Con), Pat Burridge (Con), Chris Butler (Con), David Clegg (Lib Dem), Dorothy Denston (Con), David Kidd (Lib Dem), Bob Booker (Lib Dem).