The Labour Party’s control of Croydon has come to an end, with all five major parties now represented on the council.
Although Labour emerged as the largest party on Croydon Council at the local elections on 7th May, they failed to secure overall control after the Greens won a record 8 seats in a breakthrough result.
Both Labour and the Conservatives suffered losses and fell short of the 36 seats needed for a majority, opening the door for the Greens but also the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK, who won 2 seats each.
Tory leader Jason Perry was re-elected as the borough’s Executive Mayor, beating his Labour challenger Rowenna Davis by 1,113 votes.
Despite winning two fewer seats (28) than Labour’s 30, the Conservatives now run a minority administration led by Perry, who has been Mayor of Croydon since 2022.
Mayor Perry said the new political structure is nothing new, given he presided over a council that had no overall control in his first term.
He added: “For me, it is business as usual.
“For the last four years we have had no overall control of the council and we are going into another four years with no overall control of the council. I think for me as the Executive Mayor things will work in a very similar way.”
Perry has promised the council’s priorities for its first 100 days would be to deliver a cleaner, safer and greener borough that residents are proud to call home.
He said he would continue to focus on regenerating Croydon town centre and stabilising the borough’s finances, having faced a £1.4 billion debt burden at the start of his first administration in 2022.
Croydon Council’s full cabinet is as follows:
Executive Mayor
Jason Perry
As Executive Mayor, Perry was responsible for selecting the council cabinet and designating each member’s role. He leads the council, representing the borough at external events, setting Croydon’s strategic direction and determining key policy priorities.
Statutory Deputy Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Homes
Lynne Hale
Reappointed as Mayor Perry’s second-in-command, Hale deputises for the Executive Mayor in his absence and chairs the cabinet when necessary.
She is also responsible for housing in the borough and continues to work to improve Croydon’s housing stock, pushing ahead with the Regina Road redevelopment programme.
Deputy Executive Mayor and Cabinet Member for Finance
Jason Cummings
Cummings has been appointed Deputy Executive Mayor, alongside Lynne Hale, in recognition of the key role he has played on Mayor Perry’s leadership team.
As head of council finances, he is in charge of the borough’s economic future and has pledged to stabilise Croydon’s accounts.
Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care
Yvette Hopley
Hopley has remained head of health and adult social care in the borough. She has promised to continue to support the borough’s most vulnerable residents, noting that Croydon’s Adult Social Care and Health Service was rated ‘Good’ by the CQC in October 2025.
Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety and Justice
Ola Kolade
Kolade continues to lead Croydon’s community safety agenda, also taking responsibility for community relations within the voluntary sector, faith groups and the wider area.
Under the administration’s ‘zero tolerance approach’, overall crime in Croydon has fallen by 4.1% over the past year, the council said.
Cabinet Member for Parks and Culture
Robert Ward
A new addition to the cabinet, Ward’s job is to deliver on Mayor Perry’s commitment to invest in Croydon’s parks and green spaces.
He has pledged to deliver 16 new playgrounds and 16 new outdoor gyms across the borough over the next four years.
Cabinet Member for Children and Young People
Andy Stranack
A former youth worker, Stranack is responsible for children and young people across Croydon.
Cabinet Member for Streets and Enforcement
Alasdair Stewart
Stewart enforces Croydon council’s management of fly-tipping, Blue Badge fraud, graffiti, parking violations, abandoned vehicles and illegal e-scooters.
Cabinet Member for Planning and Regulatory Services
Jeet Bains
Bains remains in charge of planning across Croydon, but he now also oversees Regulatory Services. He has promised to ensure planning decisions reflect the views of local residents in order to protect the character of Croydon’s neighbourhoods.
