London Councils, the cross-party collective of the capital’s 33 local authorities, has announced its new chair and an executive committee line-up that reflects the vastly more variegated pattern of political leadership across the capital since the borough elections of 7 May.
Confirming what On London learned prior to his confirmation in the post, Stephen Cowan, leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, has been elected chair of the organisation, which plays a vital role in making the case for London local government to national government with a unified voice.
Cowan’s securing of the position reflects the fact that Labour is still the biggest party in London local government, despite losing many seats and its majorities in more than half the boroughs it had controlled since 2022. He succeeds fellow Labour councillor Claire Holland, who had to step down because her party lost control of Lambeth Council.
His deputy chair is also a Labour borough leader – Kam Rai, who has remained the leader of Redbridge, defying some expectations that it would go to No Overall Control. Both Cowan and Rai also have roles as London Councils “executive members”. Cowan will be responsible for finance and devolution, and Rai for growth, economy, skills and employment.
Politicians from three other parties will be vice chairs for the four-year term just begun. They are the Conservative Elizabeth Campbell, who has remained leader of Kensington & Chelsea, the Green Party’s Zoë Garbett, brand new to the job of Mayor of Hackney, and Liberal Democrat Gareth Roberts, who is continuing as leader of Richmond. He is also a member of the London Assembly, as was Garbett until she resigned after winning the Hackney mayoralty. The fourth vice chair is Chris Hayward, de facto leader of the City of London Corporation.
Three of the seven other executive member posts are held by Labour council leaders, Anthony Okereke of Greenwich, Una O’Halloran of Islington, and Shantanu Rajawat of Hounslow, bringing Labour’s representation up to five out of nine. There are three Conservatives in committee roles: Paul Osborn, leader of Harrow, Paul Swaddle, leader of Westminster and Croydon Mayor Jason Perry. The line-up is completed by a single Green, the Mayor of Lewisham, Liam Shrivastava. Reform UK is not represented because it won control of only one council, Havering, and therefore does not constitute a London Councils group.
Cowan has led Hammersmith & Fulham since Labour surprised many by capturing the council from a high-profile Conservative administration in 2014. The party retained control with ease in May, losing just two seats to the Tories and securing a majority of 26 amid Labour’s many reverses elsewhere. His administrations have been characterised by close management of council finances, an economic development strategy and what he calls an “entrepreneurial municipal government” approach.
Responding to his election and formation of the executive committee following negotiations between the party groups, Cowan said: “Londoners face enormous challenges. They have a right to expect all elected representatives of London local government, from across the different political parties, to work together to find the solutions that rise to those challenges. Today, that was exactly what all of us determined to do.”
Follow Dave Hill on Bluesky and at LinkedIn. Photo from Hammersmith & Fulham Council.
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