The Labour Party’s leadership of Wandsworth was short-lived, but the council’s new Conservative administration hangs on a knife-edge, made worse by their leader stepping down after just 44 days in charge.
After four years locked out of Wandsworth, the Conservatives have once again returned to lead the council but, this time, as a minority administration.
The Tories ran the council for more than four decades until Labour’s Simon Hogg won an unprecedented 35 seats in 2022, five more than required for a majority.
At the local elections on 7th May, the Conservatives returned to their position as the council’s largest party with 29 seats but were unable to take overall control of the borough.
They reached an agreement to form a minority administration after negotiating a confidence and supply arrangement with independent councillor Malcolm Grimston, who kept his seat as the most-backed candidate with 4,081 votes.
Former Conservative Grimston, who has represented the borough’s West Hill ward since 1994, will back the Tories on key votes on budgetary measures and votes of no confidence, but this arrangement will be reviewed annually and is subject to change.
However, Councillor Aled Richards-Jones, who was originally elected leader of the council, stepped down in July due to increased professional responsibilities.
He said: “Since I joined the partnership of a law firm last year, I have worked hard to balance increasing professional responsibilities with the demands of my political role.”
Richards-Jones added: “The team into which I was recruited has achieved a level of success that has already outpaced our expectations, and as a result, my professional responsibilities have grown more quickly than expected.
“It is now clear to me that I can no longer give the role of Leader the time and focus it deserves alongside those responsibilities.”
Replacing Richards-Jones, Councillor Robert Morritt has since been confirmed as the new Leader of Wandsworth Council and said his immediate focus would be providing clear leadership, responding to the borough’s financial challenges and maintaining services for residents.
Wandsworth Council’s full cabinet is as follows:
Council Leader
Robert Morritt
As leader of the council, Morritt will be responsible for setting the administration’s policy direction.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance
Peter Graham
As Morritt’s second-in-command, Graham will deputise for the leader of the council in his absence, representing the borough at external events and chairing the cabinet when necessary.
Cabinet Member for Children
George Crivelli
Responsible for children’s social care and education, Crivelli has pledged to support the borough’s children, care leavers and young people most in need.
Cabinet Member for Environment
Ethan Brooks
Brooks is in charge of maintaining clean streets across the borough, as well as delivering waste and recycling services. He has promised to deliver a public realm of which all residents can be proud.
Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health
Lynsey Hedges
Hedges has taken charge of adult social care and public health in Wandsworth, pledging to safeguard and support the borough’s carers whilst tackling violence against women.
Cabinet Member for Housing
Matthew Corner
Corner is in charge of improving day-to-day housing services. He has said he will raise standards for council tenants and leaseholders.
Cabinet Member for Transport
Daniel Hamilton
Hamilton has taken control of the borough’s roads and shape traffic and parking policy. He has committed to supporting cleaner, more accessible ways to travel around Wandsworth.
Cabinet Member for Enforcement
Caroline de La Soujeole
De La Soujeole works to tackle neighbourhood crime, nuisance and repeat offending across Wandsworth. She aims to strengthen the council’s wider enforcement response to these issues.
Cabinet Member for Opportunity
Tom Pridham
Pridham oversees the development of Wandsworth’s local economy, supporting the borough’s high streets and its small and medium-sized employers. As cabinet member for opportunity, he has pledged to improve skills and training for residents of all ages.
