Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s new Deputy Leader has described her election to the role as an ‘honour’, after the position was vacated following Ben Coleman’s successful result at the General Election.
Cllr Alex Sanderson however added there are a number of ‘challenges’ facing the borough as she steps into the job, from the cost of living to crime and affordable housing shortages.
Mr Coleman, who was named Deputy Leader in 2022, became the first Labour MP for Chelsea and Fulham at the General Election, unseating former Tory MP Greg Hands.
Cllr Sanderson has been the Cabinet Member for Children and Education since 2022, and a councillor since 2018. During that time, she has overseen achievements including opening new Family Hubs and the children’s services team receiving an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted report.
The council’s Youth Justice Service was similarly awarded an ‘outstanding’ rating by the Inspectorate of Probation in 2022, in recognition of the work done to reduce offending among people aged 10 to 18.
Cllr Sanderson, who grew up in Chelmsford and then Bristol, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) her working class background means she has “always understood the importance of making the system fairer and the need for pathways which young people can take to achieve their ambitions”.
She said she feels ‘lucky’ to have attended Durham University at a time when she could access the Education Maintenance Allowance and was eligible for a full maintenance grant. Both schemes, she added, were scrapped by David Cameron’s Government, introducing her to the ways in which “the decisions made by politicians could really affect someone like me”.
“That’s why as Hammersmith and Fulham’s Cabinet Member for Children and Education, I have put so much store in making sure we offer new opportunities to our young people. The £150 million investment we made in the new WEST Youth Centre in the EdCity complex is an important example of what can be done.”
Cllr Sanderson said improving local schools has always been of particular importance, and that she is ‘proud’ of the fact all borough schools are now classed as ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by OFSTED.
“I firmly believe that if we can get things right now, we can shape the future of the borough not just for the young people of today but for the next generation and beyond.”
Asked about her new role, Cllr Sanderson said: “We live in an amazing borough but there are challenges. The cost of living crisis, crime and shortages of genuinely affordable housing are some of the problems that also sit alongside people’s hopes to safeguard and improve our environment, and bring much better life chances for all our residents.”
Leader of the council Stephen Cowan described Cllr Sanderson as ‘a remarkable public servant’, adding: “She will be excellent for our borough in this position.”
Cllr Sanderson is not the only move at the top of Hammersmith and Fulham. Cllr Bora Kwon will take up the Adult Social Care and Health portfolio, while Cllr Zarar Qayyum is to become the new Cabinet Member for Enterprise and Skills. Cllr Helen Rowbottom is to take on the role of H&F Industrial Strategy Ambassador.
The full make-up of the council’s cabinet is listed below.
- Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council – Stephen Cowan
- Deputy Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council – Alex Sanderson (Cllr Sanderson will also have responsibilities for Children and Education)
- 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
