G8 Implementation Executive/Cabinet

The eight local authorities established a group of county and district councillors to act as an Implementation Executive for the reorganisation.

The Government gave the group executive powers to make key decisions and bring about reorganisation. The Implementation Executive operated up until the election on 1 May 2008, when people voted afresh for the councillors they wanted to oversee the reorganisation and become the county's first unitary councillors from April 2009 onwards.

Since the election on 1 May 2008, the newly elected councillors have selected an executive committee or 'Cabinet', to take on the role of Implementation Executive and also to act as the executive for the County Council up until the unitary handover in April 2009.

Up until it was dissolved following the election, the Implementation Executive comprised:

Councillor Albert Nugent, Durham County Council (Chair).
Councillor Agnes Armstrong, Sedgefield Borough Council.
Councillor Richard Betton, Teesdale District Council.
Councillor Sonny Douthwaite, Durham County Council.
Councillor Linda Ebbatson, Chester-le-Street District Council.
Councillor Jo Fergus MBE, Durham County Council and Teesdale District Council.
Councillor Neil Foster, Durham County Council.
Councillor Dave Marshall, Durham County Council.
Councillor Dennis Morgan, Durham County Council.
Councillor Alan Napier, District of Easington.
Councillor Bob Pendlebury OBE, Durham County Council.
Councillor John Priestley, Durham County Council.
Councillor Fraser Reynolds, Durham City Council.
Councillor Neil Stonehouse, Wear Valley District Council.
Councillor Clive Robson, Durham County Council.
Councillor Brian Walker, Durham County Council.
Councillor Alex Watson OBE, Derwentside District Council.

With the exception of exempted and confidential items, Cabinet meetings are open to the public and its agendas, papers and minutes, along with those of the Implementation Executive which preceded it, are published on the County Council website.