LEADER elect Roger Colomb said it is not surprising that most of his newly chosen cabinet have only been on the council a couple of years.

Newcomers were more likely to be interested in the fresh challenge, he said. The new cabinet structure for Wycombe District Council is totally different from the present system with its dozens of panels and lengthy committee meetings.

He added: "There was a lot of fond feeling towards the old system, so I suppose it's only natural that the more recent members coming onto the council would be the ones less stuck in the past and more likely to pick up the challenge.

"The old committees were like fiefdoms," he said. "This is a collegiate way of working, and one wants to get people with the individual skills and the talents to manage their own portfolio, but who will be team players and spark ideas off one another."

He thinks the new system will be more open, more democratic and involve the community more.

The monthly cabinet meetings will be open to the public, while at meetings of the full council people will be able to ask questions and speak.

"This is new," said Cllr Colomb. "This will be different and we should be able to make things happen more quickly. Not necessarily the big things but the small things, which sometimes take an unconscionable time."

Three new scrutiny committees, where back benchers will be able to hold the cabinet to account are also being set up.

Cllr Colomb said: "They won't be whipped into line, so they will be independent and objective and able to review cabinet decisions and even call them in before they are acted on."

The chairman of one of these scrutiny committees will be chosen by the opposition parties.

Councillors' pay is being studied by an independent panel, due to report at the end of the month, but cabinet members won't be paid a full-time wage.

Cllr Colomb said the council wanted people to be able to do the work, while being in full-time employment. At present three of the proposed cabinet have full time jobs.