THE last places on the cabinet which will run Stoke-on-Trent City Council have finally been filled after 10 days of talks.

Council leader Ross Irving named the remaining five members of his 10-strong cabinet yesterday.

The move sees the return to frontline politics of former executive and members' board regulars Joy Garner and Hazel Lyth, who are joined by former Lord Mayor Derek Capey, John Daniels and Terry Follows.

Mrs Garner, who had previously been the Labour portfolio holder for the environment, becomes the non-aligned cabinet member for environment and regulatory services after she resigned from the Labour group earlier this month.

Conservative and Independent Alliance member Ms Lyth makes a straight switch from portfolio holder to cabinet member for enterprise and culture.

City Independent Group member Mr Capey is the new cabinet member for sport, leisure, parks and open spaces.

Fellow City Independent Mr Follows, who spearheaded the political fight to save Trentham High School from closure, becomes the cabinet member for community safety, cohesion and communications.

And Conservative and Independent Alliance member Mr Daniels has been named as the cabinet member for housing and neighbourhood services.

They will be working with Clive Brian (CIA, adult social care and health), Kieran Clarke (Lib-Dem, resources), Ian Mitchell (CIG, children and young people's services), as well as deputy council leader Brian Ward (CIG, regeneration) and Mr Irving, who has retained his former portfolio title of partnerships and transition.

Commenting on the appointments, Mr Irving said: "What we have got on the cabinet now is a mix of new blood and tried and tested experience.

"I am trying to bring together groups that have not worked together before and hopefully that will help to repair the broken politics of Stoke-on-Trent.

"The new cabinet members are all passionate about Stoke-on-Trent and committed to continuing the improvement in services we have achieved recently."

Mr Irving added: "The council is beginning a new era, following the end of the elected mayor system. The cabinet system will be a partnership across political groupings that will provide strong, effective governance."

But his deputy, Mr Ward, said he is concerned that the new power-sharing coalition will still exclude some political groups and may fail to heal rifts within the council chamber.

He said: "When we abandoned the elected mayoral system that should have given us the opportunity for a completely new start, but I don't want to see change if it is just an add-on to the mayoral system we had before."

Deputy Labour group leader councillor Adrian Knapper has also voiced doubts about the composition of the new cabinet.

Mr Knapper said: "It is very much a cocktail cabinet with so many different groups involved and I think they will run into difficulties."