New Leader For The Borough

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Stephen Burke to head Hammersmith & Fulham Council

Hammersmith & Fulham Council has a new leader and a reshuffled Cabinet following the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 25 May.

Stephen Burke, 44, who represents the Wormholt and White City ward, was elected to the position of Leader by full council and takes over from Cllr Andrew Slaughter, who steps down as leader after 9 years.

He said on his appointment, "We aim to take forward Hammersmith and Fulham as the smarter borough. We have a good record and a good platform to build on and promote.We are an excellent council with good, improving services and one of the lowest council tax rates in London "

Cllr Burke has been a resident of the borough for the last 21 years and has been a councilor in Hammersmith & Fulham since 1994. He was the cabinet member for social services in 1995-1999 and currently leads on social care and health for the Association of London Government. He is a non-executive director of Hammersmith & Fulham Primary Care Trust, has been chair of the Better Government for Older People Panel and Age Discrimination Scrutiny Group in the borough.

He also chairs the Hammersmith & Fulham Volunteer Centre, is a governor of Wormholt Park Primary School and Randolph Beresford Centre, and is a trustee of several local charities. Stephen Burke recently started as chief executive of Counsel and Care, working for better care and support for older people, having been director of Daycare Trust, the national childcare charity from 2000 to 2005.

The new leader pledge that, in the coming year, he and his deputy Stephen Cowan would meet as many residents as possible in the borough and hear about their issues and concerns. He promised to engage with local people to work together to make Hammersmith & Fulham a great place to live and work in.

At the meeting Cllr Burke also announced his new Cabinet:

• Cllr Stephen Cowan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing.
• Cllr Christine Graham, Cabinet Member for Performance and Procurement.
• Cllr Sally Powell, Cabinet Member for Regeneration.
• Cllr Michael Cartwright, Cabinet Member for Environment.
• Cllr Melanie Smallman, Cabinet Member for Education.
• Cllr Reg McLaughlin, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion.

North End ward Councillor Charlie Treloggan was elected as mayor of the borough for a third term. He said, "To be elected as mayor for a third term is a great honour for me. Hammersmith & Fulham is a great place to live and work in and I am proud to be representing the people of the borough once again."

May 27, 2005