ESSEX county councillor for Stansted Ray Gooding has been appointed as a member of the authority’s new cabinet.

Cllr Gooding was promoted from his deputy role to succeed Cllr Sarah Candy as the cabinet member for Children’s Services, after she decided to step down from the post.

Essex County Council’s restructure was confirmed by full council after both Cllr Candy and Cllr Tracey Chapman chose to stand down from their cabinet positions for personal reason.

Both will remain as councillors.

County Council Leader, Councillor Peter Martin, said: “Both Sarah and Tracey have served on the cabinet with distinction for a number of years and I would like to pay tribute to the contributions that they have made to the work of the council during that time. They will both be sorely missed from the cabinet but will continue to play important roles in the work of the council.”

As well as reflecting Cllr Chapman and Cllr Candy’s departure, the cabinet restructure recognises other changes the council has had to make in managing its responsibilities.

In the new structure Cllr Derrick Louis will move into the role of cabinet member for Highways and Transportation vacated by Cllr Tracey Chapman’s resignation.

Cllr Louis said: “I am very pleased to take up this new role. The portfolio for Highways and Transportation is a challenging one, but I look forward to building on the excellent work of the previous cabinet members. We have recently entered into the new strategic partnership with Ringway Jacobs and I will be glad to be involved in delivering services in an innovative way and securing quality and the best value for money for the people of Essex.”

A new portfolio for Public Health and Wellbeing has also been created in recognition of the new responsibilities that the county council will take on in 2013 and in recognition of the changes taking place in the health sector. This role will be overseen by Cllr Ann Naylor.

Cllr John Aldridge will join the cabinet to take over Cllr Naylor’s previous Adult Social Care portfolio.

Cllr Louis previously had responsibility for Procurement, Property and Major Projects which has now been merged into the Deputy Leader, Cllr David Finch’s portfolio.

In addition to the changes in cabinet posts some portfolio responsibilities will also change now the new cabinet structure has come into effect.

Adult Community Learning, which previously came under Cllr Jeremy Lucas’s portfolio as the Cabinet Member for Environment and Culture, will be the responsibility of Cllr Stephen Castle.

He will also be taking over the responsibility for special schools and special educational needs from the Children’s Services portfolio to bring together all-age education into an Education and Lifelong Learning portfolio.

Emergency Planning and flood and water management will also move from the Highways and Transportation portfolio to Cllr Jowers’ Communities and Planning portfolio.