The new Leader and Deputy Leader of Nottingham City Council have been officially appointed.
Councillor Neghat Khan and Councillor Ethan Radford are the youngest team to hold the top two council positions in Nottingham.
Councillor Khan was officially appointed as Leader at a formal city council meeting on Monday evening (20 May). She is the first woman of colour to be Leader and only the second woman to hold the role. Councillor Khan, who represents the Dales ward in the city, leads the majority group of Labour councillors in Nottingham.
Councillor Ethan Radford was appointed as Deputy Leader. He has served as a councillor for Bulwell since 2019 and has worked with the Executive group of councillors for the last two years.
They replace councillors David Mellen and Audra Wynter who have been Leader and Deputy Leader since 2019 and 2023 respectively.
Councillor Khan, who has been a city councillor for 10 years, said: “I’m proud to serve as Leader of the Council. I am ambitious for Nottingham, where I was born and grew up. I care about the people who live, work and study here and I want only the best for our neighbourhoods and communities.
“Nottingham is a diverse city and it now has its first British-Asian leader. I hope that young women and young people of colour from Nottingham, like my son who is 12, see that there should be no barrier to their ambitions and aspirations.
“It is no secret that Nottingham faces significant challenges, but I have never shied away from a difficult situation. I will work with senior officers and Government Commissioners to drive forward the changes needed to continue the council’s improvement journey. The people of Nottingham deserve nothing less.
“Money remains tight, and we know that further difficult decisions will be needed. However, I believe that cuts to our funding does not mean we can’t afford to be ambitious; it means we can’t afford not to be. What Nottingham needs now more than ever is politicians ready to rise to the challenge facing us, setting a renewed vision for our city, and achieving the promises we made when we were given a clear mandate from the public at the last local election.
“I would like to pay tribute to Councillors David Mellen and Audra Wynter for their hard work and dedication as the previous Leader and Deputy Leader. They have helped to lay the foundation for significant changes and improvements in Nottingham – not least their work to secure the devolution deal that will now see us working closely alongside the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, to fight for a fairer share of funding for the city.
“I’m clear that our council cannot work in isolation. I want to work with partners, businesses and the voluntary sector to give Nottingham a fresh start.”
Councillor Radford said: “I’m honoured to be appointed as Deputy Leader of the Council – and I am determined to deliver improvements for the people of Nottingham.
“We have all lived through the last 14 years of austerity and reduced funding to public services which have, in turn, led to cuts to the services we all rely on. Public services are in crisis. These difficult times have led to real challenges in delivering on our ambitions for Nottingham but it is vital that we remain ambitious for our city.
“The leaders of this city need to be united, pulling in the same direction with a shared vision for our city, built on a solid foundation of trust. Neghat and I have worked together for a number of years and have skills and abilities that together cover a wide area and complement each other. We offer Nottingham strong political leadership focussed on fulfilling our promises to voters, delivering for residents by working with the regional mayor and the Police and Crime Commissioner.
“We want to protect services and jobs, and optimise every pound spent in Nottingham. By targeting root causes of major cost areas to the authority, we can reduce costs but maintain value, support communities, and invest in Nottingham’s future.”
Councillor Khan will also be Executive Member for Strategic Regeneration, Transport and Communications, and Councillor Radford the Executive Member for Skills, Growth and Economic Development.
The Leader and Deputy Leader are joined by a Cabinet of six Executive Members who were also confirmed at the Full Council meeting:
- Councillor Linda Woodings, Executive Member for Finance and Resources
- Councillor Cheryl Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Education
- Councillor Jay Hayes, Executive Member for Housing and Planning
- Councillor Corall Jenkins, Executive Member for Communities, Waste and Equalities
- Councillor Pavlos Kotsonis, Executive Member for Adults Social Care and Health
- Councillor Sam Lux, Executive Member for Carbon Reduction, Leisure and Culture
