NEW council leader Chris Hammond has shuffled his cabinet, with a key name stepping down.

The Southampton City Council chief announced at the full council meeting last night that Warwick Payne was not part of the new front bench.

The former-deputy leader, who will remain a councillor for Woolston, will step down to start a new job with a PR and communications company.

It comes after the ex-housing chief ’s botched bid for the leadership role in May.

Cllr Payne had expressed interest in the role – after former leader Simon Letts lost his seat in this year’s council elections.

But he missed the application deadline, as he was consulting with family members.

With councillor Payne standing aside, recently elected Swaythling councillor Lorna Fielker has been brought in to look after adult social care.

Cllr Hammond retains the rest of his front bench, although all in different roles.

The leader has named himself the clean growth and development chief, councillor Darren Paffey as the aspiration, schools and lifelong learning head, councillor John Jordan has been given the remit of children and families, and councillor David Shields is the new community wellbeing member.

Councillor Mark Chaloner remains as the finance and customer experience chief, councillor Satvir Kaur as the homes and culture head, and deputy leader Jacqui Rayment named the transport and public realm.