Cabinet Reshuffle Follows Deputy Leader's Departure
Ben Coleman steps down after becoming MP for Chelsea and Fulham
New Deputy Leader of H&F Council, Cllr Alex Sanderson
July 29, 2024
There have been changes to Hammersmith & Fulham’s cabinet following the departure of Deputy Leader Ben Coleman.
He is stepping down from the role due to his election as MP for Chelsea and Fulham and Cllr Alex Sanderson has been elected as his successor. She has been the borough’s Cabinet Member for Children and Education since 2022 and will retain that role. Prior to that she chaired the policy and scrutiny committee covering that area after first being elected to Hammersmith & Fulham in 2018.
At the same time there have been new appointments to key Cabinet positions. Cllr Bora Kwon has taken on the Health and Adult Social Care brief and Cllr Zarar Qayyum has stepped up to the Enterprise and Skills role.
Cllr Sanderson said, Our loss is Chelsea and Fulham’s gain, Ben will be a great MP. I am honoured to have been chosen to replace him. Hammersmith & Fulham is an amazing borough. I will fight for our residents and local businesses and work to make the borough an even better place to live and work.”
“Alex Sanderson is a remarkable public servant,” said Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham. “In May, OFSTED graded our children’s services as “Outstanding” and she established family hubs across the borough to support young parents and give children the best possible start in life and she is taking radical measures to protect young people from crime and keep our children safe. Alex is a smart and collegiate leader who really cares about making our residents’ lives better. She will be excellent for our borough in this position.”
Cllr Bora Kwon takes up the Adult Social Care and Health portfolio. She said, “I am absolutely focussed on rising to the challenges of fixing our broken and beloved NHS while making sure our residents get the best social care in the country. I plan to build on the work of our independent Disabled People’s Commission and see my role as a champion for independent living.”
Cllr Zarar Qayyum has been appointed as the new Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Skills to support businesses, help residents gain skills for employment and find new ways to encourage local high streets.
Cllr Qayyam said, “It benefits all of us to have a strong, enterprising local economy but too many of Britain’s businesses have been through a tough time. My message to all our local businesses is that I am on your side and will work with you to help you thrive.”
Meanwhile, Cllr Helen Rowbottom was appointed to be the new H&F Industrial Strategy Ambassador with a brief to usher develop the council’s role as an entrepreneurial municipality.
Here is the full list of Cabinet Members and their roles:
Stephen Cowan – Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council
Alex Sanderson – Deputy Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council*
Cabinet Member for the Economy – Andrew Jones
Cabinet Member for Public Realm – Sharon Holder
Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness – Frances Umeh
Cabinet Member for Finance and Reform – Rowan Ree
Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Community Safety – Rebecca Harvey
Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Ecology – Wesley Harcourt
Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health – Bora Kwon
Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Skills – Zarar Qayyum.
The Deputy Leader will also have responsibilities for Children and Education.
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