Who runs Bromley?

Bromley is still under Conservative control after Reform failed to gain a foothold at the last election.

The South London borough has been run by the Tories since 2001, but Reform UK were expected to challenge the status quo at the local elections on 7th May.

The borough in which Nigel Farage was born voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Conservatives, with the party winning 35 of a possible 58 seats, 5 more than needed for a majority.

Reform, who gained 6 new councillors in Bromley, were beaten to second place by Labour, now on 8.

Leader of the Council Colin Smith said he was delighted his party, the Tories, was still in charge.

He said: “We’ve proved through hard work and great cooperation with our residents that by sending a strong, positive message about Bromley being London’s best borough and the reasons for it, we have increased the number of councillors we started this election with.”

Smith said the next four years promised to be incredibly difficult due to the reduction in central Government funding for the local authority.

Bromley Council’s full cabinet is as follows.

Leader of the Council

Colin Smith

As council leader, Smith represents the borough at external events while also setting the strategic policy direction of Bromley as a whole. He was in charge of selecting the cabinet and designating each member’s area of responsibility (portfolio).

Deputy Leader

Kate Lymer

Lymer deputises for Smith and chairs the cabinet in his absence. She represents the borough at external events and advises the Council Leader on policy and strategy.

Portfolio Holder for Children, Education and Families

Jonathan Andrews

In charge of Bromley’s schools and children’s services, Andrews works to promote educational inclusion across the borough and maintain high educational standards. Also responsible for admissions policy, he aims to deliver on the council’s commitment to a high ‘first choice’ school preference for children and parents.

Portfolio Holder for Renewal, Recreation & Housing

Yvonne Bear

Bear, who has experience in commercial banking and IT, works to ensure high-quality housing is delivered in Bromley, as well as local recreational services such as libraries and leisure centres. She is in charge of regenerating and redeveloping certain areas of the borough in collaboration with businesses, locals and developers.

Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health

Diane Smith

Overseeing adult care and health in the borough, Smith is in charge of delivering a health and wellbeing strategy for Bromley. She works alongside healthcare services to ensure the health of residents is up to scratch.

Portfolio Holder for Public Protection & Enforcement

Angela Page

Responsible for public protection and enforcement, Page has promised to keep Bromley a safe and attractive borough in which to live, work and visit. She works to protect consumers and support businesses, by enforcing licensing, food hygiene and environmental standards.

Portfolio Holder for Environment

Josh Coldspring-White

Coldspring-White has taken charge of Bromley’s trees, parks, waste management, playgrounds and Net Zero strategy. He has committed to keeping “London’s most rural borough” as clean and green as he possibly can.

Portfolio Holder for Transport, Highways and Road Safety

Simon Fawthrop

In charge of Bromley’s transport, Fawthrop has been tasked with ensuring roads are well-maintained and traffic is kept to a minimum. First elected in 2006, Fawthrop has campaigned on transport issues on behalf of local residents, including for those affected by the flight path from Biggin Hill Airport, a minor commercial airport in Bromley.

Bromley Council has also confirmed the chairs and vice-chairs of their committees:

Chairman of Public Protection & Enforcement PDS Committee