Changes in political colour, internal rows and natural churn have prompted a wave of new leaders to take control in some of the biggest and most well known councils across England.
Kevin Bentley (Con) has replaced long-serving leader
David Finch (Con) as leader of Essex CC, after Cllr Finch decided not to run for re-election. Cllr Bentley, who is well known in local government circles as chair of the Local Government Association’s people and places board and former chair of its Brexit taskforce, has already set out his new cabinet’s agenda, built on “three guiding principles of ambition, renewal and equality”.
The leader of Lambeth Council has stepped down after just over two years. In a statement on May 10 Labour Councillor Jack Hopkins did not say why he made the decision to quit as leader, but said “I know I will leave the council in safe hands”. A new leader will be elected at a future council meeting, with details yet to be confirmed. Cllr Hopkins was first elected as a councillor in Oval Ward in 2010 and has served in the cabinet since 2012, holding various roles responsible for community safety and neighbourhoods, economic development, regeneration, planning and employment and skills. He became leader of the council in February, 2019.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions the event will be live streamed from 11am. The online broadcast will feature the 15 official guests taking part in the unveiling, including Mrs Groce’s family. Dorothy ‘Cherry’ Groce was shot by police when they raided her house looking for her son. Four of her children were at home at the time, while her son was never charged. Cherry was left paralysed from the waist down. Two days of riots ensued as the community protested institutional racism and systemic injustice faced by Black people. In 2011, Mrs Groce contracted an infection which led to kidney failure, and she passed away on Easter Sunday.
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Dorothy ‘Cherry’ Groce was shot by police when they raided her house looking for her son. Four of her children were at home at the time, while her son was never charged. Cherry was left paralysed from the waist down. Two days of riots ensued as the community protested institutional racism and systemic injustice faced by Black people. In 2011, Mrs Groce contracted an infection which led to kidney failure, and she passed away on Easter Sunday. It was only in March 2014 that the Met Police apologised for the wrongful shooting – in July of that year an inquest jury concluded that eight police failures had led to Mrs Groce’s death.