Mayor announces cabinet, advisors

A real and unedited still from one of the mayor’s recent Reels

The mayor has announced not only his new cabinet, but also a raft of deputy cabinet members and advisors to be added to the payroll vote:

• Mayor Forhad Hussain, portfolio lead for Community Safety and Regeneration
• Cllr John Gray, statutory deputy mayor and cabinet member for Housing
• Cllr Lakmini Shah, cabinet member for Children, Education and Communities
• Cllr Zulfiqar Ali, cabinet member for Finance and Resources
• Cllr Susan Masters, cabinet member for Adults, Health and Environment 
• Cllr Imam Haque, deputy cabinet member for Community Safety, Children, Education and Communities
• Cllr Shantu Ferdous, deputy cabinet member for Children, Education and Communities
• Cllr Shaban Mohammed, deputy cabinet member for Regeneration
• Cllr Toni Wilson, deputy cabinet member for Housing (with a focus on Temporary Accommodation) and mayoral advisor for Jobs and Small Businees
• Cllr Salim Patel, deputy cabinet member for Adults, Health and Environment 
• Cllr Anne Easter, deputy cabinet member for Adults, Health and Environment and mayoral advisor for Faith

So, out of 26 Labour councillors ten are in the administration. Add in the chief whip and her deputy and that’s close to half of Labour Group on the payroll.

The scheme for councillors’ allowances for 2026/27 is available here.

Tags: Forhad Hussain