A NEW finance chief has been named at cash-strapped Southampton City Council, as Labour leader Simon Letts reshuffles his top team.

Days after former cabinet member for resources Stephen Barnes-Andrews stood down, Mark Chaloner has been named as his replacement.

Cllr Letts said Cllr Barnes-Andrews' departure had not come as a shock as it had been planned for several months, and said he had picked former children's safeguarding boss Cllr Chaloner "because he is an exceptionally bright man who has the capacity to put together a budgetary strategy going forward".

With Cllr Barnes-Andrews, who will remain a ward councillor, also standing down as deputy leader, housing czar Warwick Payne will step up as his replacement although he will share much of the role's responsibilities with children's chief Dan Jeffery.

Cllr Jeffery will take on children's safeguarding as well as responsibility for working with other councils on ways to lobby Government while cabinet member for communities Satvir Kaur will take on leisure.

Christopher Hammond has joined the cabinet as member for transformation and change, looking at the way the council can become more efficient.

The reshuffle will be formally announced at Wednesday's (May 20) annual general meeting.

The new appointments come just days after Labour councillor Andrew Pope sensationally quit, hitting out at a "lack of leadership" and criticising several former colleagues.