After five years as the Leader of Southwark Council, Cllr Kieron Williams has announced his intention to stand down in July.
Cllr Williams said: “It has been an honour to serve this borough that I love so deeply.
“I want to say thank you to everyone I’ve worked with over the last five years. It has been a huge privilege to meet so many inspiring people who work day in day out to make Southwark the amazing place that it is.
“There is so much that we have achieved together. I was elected as Leader of the Council in the depths of the pandemic. In my first months we rolled out a host of new services. Getting tests and vaccinations to our community, and vital help to over 73,000 people and 4,000 businesses. It was a huge team effort, that showed the incredible strength of our community and just how much we can achieve when we work together.
“We’ve faced many other challenges with the cost-of-living crisis and years of cuts to our local public services by previous governments. Yet whatever the challenge in Southwark we have risen to it.
“Since I became Leader we have got cost-of-living help to over 100,000 Southwark local people. Put in place the country’s most comprehensive free school meals offer. Built more new council homes than at any time since the 1970s, with over 3,000 now completed or under construction. Created over 3,000 apprenticeships. Raised standards in our schools, with over 95% now rated good or outstanding, and set new standards for care with our residential care charter and open access children’s mental health service. As well as opening new libraries, sports centres, a new nursing home and planting over 20,000 trees.
“I’m immensely grateful to everyone I have worked with over the past five years to achieve all of this. Including all of the council staff, Cabinet Members and councillors, and all the volunteers, community groups, businesses, schools, NHS staff and many others who have helped to make our borough fairer, greener and safer.
“It has been an enormous privilege to serve our community in this role, but after five years leading our borough through difficult times, now is the right moment for me to step back and hand over the reins to a new leader who can bring renewed energy.
“I know I leave our council in the safe hands of a dedicated and hardworking group of councillors, who will continue to strive for the very best for our community.
“I look forward to seeing the many things that you will achieve together in the years ahead. Our borough and community will always be in my heart.”
The Chief Executive of Southwark Council, Althea Loderick, said: “I have greatly valued and enjoyed working with Kieron over the past three years, and I am thankful for all of the support that he has given me since I became Chief Executive.
“His commitment to our amazing borough and its people is clear for everyone to see. Under his leadership we’ve made a huge impact supporting vulnerable people during Covid, with building new council homes and making sure young people get the support they need to thrive.
“I know that residents and council staff will join me in thanking Kieron for his dedicated service to Southwark and in wishing him all the very best for the future.”
In line with the council’s constitution, the new leader will be elected by a meeting of Council Assembly expected to take place in July. Cllr Kieron Williams remains leader until this Council Assembly takes place.
Kieron Williams’ Biography
- Cllr Williams was first elected to Southwark Council in May 2014 and represents Camberwell Green ward. He was elected as Leader of the Council in September 2020. Prior to his election as Leader he held a range of Cabinet portfolios including housing, jobs, skills and innovation.
- Cllr Williams became Leader during the COVID-19 pandemic and led the council as it supported more than 73,000 vulnerable Southwark residents and over 4,000 local businesses.
- In October 2020, Cllr Williams committed Southwark Council to fund free school meals in the holidays for children from low-income families after the Government refused to do so. Councils across the country followed this lead and the Government also changed its approach.
- Cllr Williams has championed council housing and Southwark Council has scaled up delivery of new council homes from under 600 in 2020 to over 3,000 homes built or under construction today. He has also led a coalition of 112 council and partners to set the national agenda on council housing.
- During Cllr Williams’ leadership Southwark Council has put in place the most comprehensive free school meal offer in the country in nursery, primary and secondary schools and in the holidays. The council has also delivered the biggest programme of apprenticeships of any London borough, with more than 3,000 apprenticeship and paid internships.
- In this time the council has also prioritised Southwark’s green spaces, planting more than 20,000 trees and reaching the milestone of 100,000 trees on council land. Also the council has maintained and improved Southwark’s 30 Green Flag parks, 17 new protected nature sites and 240 new community food-growing plots.
- Cllr Williams has been Chair of London Council’s Transport & Environment Committee since September 2023, leading the cross-party work of London’s 32 boroughs plus the City of London to deliver a greener, zero carbon and better-connected capital.
- Cllr Williams has been Co-Chair of the South East London Integrated Care Partnership since May 2022, bringing partners together to improve health and care and reduce health inequalities across South East London.
- Cllr Williams was Chair of Central London Forward between 2022 and 2024; heading up the combined efforts of the twelve inner London boroughs to deliver inclusive and sustainable growth.
- He served on the Board of Transport for London from 2022 to 2023.
- Prior to being elected to political office, he led a range of programmes for the UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments to tackle social inequalities, and was an advisor to councils across England on action to improve the life chances of children.
- He lives in Camberwell with his partner and two children.