Croydon council appoints first ever BAME leader

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

A new leader of Croydon council has been chosen by the borough’s Labour Group.

Hamida Ali will take up the role from Tony Newman, who announced he would be stepping down at a full council meeting on Monday.

She was chosen by members of the Croydon Labour Group, and will automatically become the council leader.

Cllr Ali was previously cabinet member for safer Croydon and communities, and is one of three Labour councillors in Woodside ward. She became a councillor in 2014.

Cllr Ali will be the first ever BAME leader of Croydon council and the third woman to take up the role.

She takes on the council at a challenging time, as it faces a multi-million pound budget black hole.

Next month the council will go to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ask for a loan of more than £20 million to avoid having to declare bankruptcy.

In a Tweet, Cllr Ali wrote: “Thank you so much to everyone for their kind wishes and support. As the cold light of day is dawning, the hardest graft ever is about to start.”

Outgoing leader Cllr Newman said he brought forward his decision to resign to give the borough the best chance of getting the government help it needs.

Pictured top: Croydon Town Hall