New Leader of Westminster City Council elected

Cllr Rachael Robathan has been formally elected as the new Leader of Westminster City Council following a Full Council meeting this evening (22 January 2020).

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Robathan set out her immediate priorities for the council and city.

Leader Cllr Rachael Robathan said:

“I’d like to pay tribute to Cllr Nickie Aiken, who as my predecessor has made our City for All vision the road map for the way ahead and I look forward to working with her as our local MP.

“I’m honoured to have been elected as the new Leader of Westminster City Council. Westminster is a special place at the heart of the capital, home to 250,000 residents and thousands of businesses including the nation’s high street, Oxford Street, and the wider West End. But it also faces complex challenges including climate change, air quality, rough sleeping and affordable housing. 

“I’m determined to deliver at pace in a fast-changing city. That means we need to continue to drive forward our City for All vision relentlessly and with innovation. We need to be flexible, using resources intelligently and be unafraid of pushing forward new technology to help the people we serve and to improve lives. 

“I’m looking forward to delivering world-class housing for our residents, tackling the climate emergency we face and ensuring Oxford Street remains a great place to live, work and visit in the future. We can’t do this alone – so I’ll be determined to work together with our key partners including the public and private sector such as the NHS, business groups and police to achieve this. 

“My passion for Westminster, my experience in the private and voluntary sectors, together with a decade as a councillor, means I’m ready to hit the ground running to deliver for our residents and maintain our reputation as a council which gets things done.”

Cllr Robathan succeeds Cllr Nickie Aiken, who was elected in December 2019 as the Member of Parliament for Cities of London and Westminster.

Since 2010, Cllr Robathan has represented the Knightsbridge and Belgravia Ward on the council. During that time, she has held senior Cabinet Member posts with responsibility for finance, property, housing and adult services. Cllr Robathan has also sat on the finance and children’s policy and planning committees.

A mother of two, Cllr Robathan has spent most of her career in business. In addition, she is a trustee of the Westminster Almhouses Foundation, a charity which provides sheltered housing to over 60s, and is a director of the Big Lottery Fund.

The new Leader will confirm any changes to the Cabinet in the coming weeks.