A HIGH-profile New-port councillor has lost his place in the governing Cabinet.

John Pembridge lost his place as a result of the annual vote among the ruling Labour group for the Cabinet.

The out-going mayor, Councillor Graham Dally, will replace Councillor Pembridge in the Cabinet.

Councillor Pembridge has held the environment brief since last November when the former leisure portfolio was widened to take in transport. Councillor Dally stepped down from the Cabinet last year when he became mayor.

The new make-up of the Cabinet will be announced at the annual meeting of the council next Tuesday.

Although the make-up of the Cabinet is decided by a vote of all Labour councillors, individual portfolios are in the domain of leader Sir Harry Jones.

The other councillor to lose a position was Miqdad Al Nuaimi, who was chairman of the challenge panel. He will be replaced by Alway councillor Ken Powell.

The challenge panel gives 'backbench' members of the council the opportunity to challenge proposed decisions of the Cabinet. Councillor Pembridge, who represents the Gaer ward, said he was not bitter about losing his position.

He said: "These things happen in politics. I've been a councillor for 34 years and I've been reorganised more times than I've had hot dinners. "I've enjoyed my time in the Cabinet and it has been quite an experience with the environment portfolio.

"I've had to deal with the floods, we've had to look again at the winter maintenance programme and there have been the controversies over car parks and bus lanes.

"You come into politics to try and make a difference and as a member of the Cabinet you have a lot of power.

"I've experienced the ups and downs of politics."

"Being a member of the Cabinet means you cannot devote as much time to ward matters and it has meant more work for my colleagues Lindsey Al-Nuaimi and Glyn Whitcutt.

"The Cabinet system has checks and balances and as a backbench councillor I will be one of those checks and balances."