Treasury-bound Clark keeps cities role in DCLG sweep
Author: Dominic Browne, The MJ |
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) has undergone a clean sweep of junior minister roles in prime minister David Cameron’s mid-term reshuffle.
Leading the change in personnel, former housing minister Grant Shapps left his post to become Conservative Party chairman. In exchange, former Tory Party chair, Baroness Warsi, has been given a dual role as both DCLG communities and faith minister, and a senior minister at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Former business minister, Mark Prisk, who is a chartered surveyor by profession will take over from Mr Shapps as housing minister.
Former planning and decentralisation minister, Greg Clark, has moved to the Treasury where he will serve as Financial Secretary. However, Mr Clark claimed via micro-blog Twitter that he will retain his role as cities minister. He is replaced by Nick Boles, the founder of think tank Policy Exchange.
It is understood local government minister Bob Neill will return to the backbenches and Bath MP, Don Foster, has replaced Andrew Stunell as the Liberal Democrats’ representative in the department.
As expected, communities secretary Eric Pickles retained the top job at the DCLG.
Alex Thomson, chief executive of the Localis thinktank, said that decision sent the ‘clear message’ that the Government ‘isn’t changing course on localism and local government policy’.