A former council leader who spent 12 years in the council's inner circle has expressed his frustration after being removed from the cabinet.

Prominent councillor Andrew Judge, who spent 21 years as a ward councillor and stood for election twice as Wimbledon MP in 2010 and 2015, has been removed from his position as cabinet member for environmental sustainability and regeneration.

The cabinet reshuffle comes in the wake of a controversial budget approved last month which had seen rifts emerge within the ruling Labour party.

Although Cllr Judge voted in favour of the £5 million cuts in the March 2 budget meeting, and against a precept which could have raised £1.35 million for adult social care, Labour insiders have claimed that he spoke out strongly against the cuts during party meetings.

However, the leader of the council, Councillor Stephen Alambritis, has denied Cllr Judge’s opposition to the cuts affected the decision, and insisted it is only based on bringing younger councillors into the cabinet.

April 13: Democracy in Merton? Councillor Jeff Hanna says he was forced out of position after not voting for cuts to adult social care

Wimbledon Times:

Cllr Judge has been a Merton councillor for 21 years

Cabinet member for environment, cleanliness and parking, Councillor Judy Saunders, has also lost her seat in the reshuffle.

Cllr Judge said: “The leader of the council has these appointments in his power, so it’s his decision. I wanted to continue, certainly you can assume that.

February 22: Merton Labour accused of intentionally silencing and misinforming councillors in leaked email dispute over adult social care cuts

“The record shows that I voted with the Labour group in council. I don’t wish to comment further on what was said or done behind the scenes. That’s a private party matter.

“There are arguments in all parties at all times, but I don’t want to comment further on any wider issues. There are always discussions and arguments, and it is right we have that in any party.”

The only Labour councillor to vote against the cuts in the budget, Peter Walker, resigned on the night. Councillor Jeff Hanna, the only Labour councillor to abstain from the vote, has since been removed as chairman of the licensing committee, and has claimed his removal was due to opposing the cuts.

March 3: Peter Walker resigns from Merton Council as cuts to adult social care are passed in the budget

Cllr Alambritis, said: “It was a very, very hard decision to leave out both Andrew Judge and Judy Saunders. They were both very, very experienced in their fields.

“It was important to move on to the next phase of councillors who have come in now with fresh, new ideas. That’s in no way a decision or judgement on Andrew or Judy, who I have got on very, very well with.”

Cllr Alambritis also denied that Cllr Judge’s opposition to adult social care cuts had been behind the decision.

He said: “We had a difference of opinion obviously on that aspect, but Andrew did vote for the budget in council. We had plenty of discussions, it was a very difficult decision.

February 3: Merton council leader Stephen Alambritis refuses to bend as rebel Labour party urges him to raise tax and 'save adult social care'

“It’s inevitable there were tensions, healthy tensions, as you go through the budget process, but my aim for the new cabinet is to give these councillors a chance to learn and bring fresh ideas.”

Councillor Ross Garrod will become cabinet member for environmental cleanliness and parking, focusing on bringing in wheelie bins in the borough, and Councillor Katy Neep will take over from the late Maxi Martin as cabinet member for children’s services.

Councillor Nick Draper will add parks, greenspaces and adult education to his existing remit of leisure and libraries, and Councillor Martin Whelton will become cabinet member for regeneration, environment and housing.

Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah will take over from Cllr Whelton as cabinet member for education. Her role as cabinet member for adult social care will now be filled by Councillor Tobin Byers – the former chief whip of the party.

The changes to cabinet will be brought in at the annual council meeting on Wednesday, May 18.