David Gardiner Elected Mayor, Raja Zeeshan Deputy Mayor of Royal Borough of Greenwich

30 May 2026

Councillor David Gardiner has been elected as the new Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, with Councillor Raja Zeeshan appointed as Deputy Mayor. The appointments were confirmed at the Council's Annual Meeting held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

Councillor Gardiner's term as Mayor is for the 2026-2027 municipal year, a typical one-year term for the role. The meeting also saw Councillor Anthony Okereke re-elected as Leader of the Council, with Councillor Jackie Smith appointed as Deputy Leader.

The full membership of the Cabinet for 2026-2027 was noted, with portfolios assigned to its members. Councillor Jane Dickenson was appointed Council Chief Whip, and Councillor Lewis Hurst was appointed Deputy Chief Whip.

Diagram illustrating the seating arrangement and roles of council members and officers during the Royal Borough of Greenwich Council's annual meeting.

Several other significant decisions and discussions took place during the meeting. Various member-level bodies were established for the 2026-27 municipal year, including the Audit and Risk Management Panel, Corporate Parenting Partnership Board, General Purposes Committee, Licensing Committee, Planning Board, Local Planning Committee, and several Scrutiny Panels. The allocation of seats to political groups on these committees was agreed.

An amendment was proposed and debated regarding the proportional appointment of opposition chairs to scrutiny panels, but it was not carried. Members were appointed to the established committees, and their Chairs and Vice-Chairs were confirmed for the 2026-27 period. The Council also approved the outline calendar of meetings for the upcoming municipal year and appointed members to various outside bodies.

Furthermore, the Council voted to approve the principle of appointing Political Assistants to support political groups and allocated posts to the Labour, Conservative, and Green Groups. Councillor Tamasin Rhymes was noted as the Leader of the Opposition Green Group, and Councillor Matt Hartley was noted as the Leader of the Opposition Conservative Group.

While the political affiliations of Councillor Gardiner and Councillor Zeeshan were not explicitly stated, Councillor Okereke, the Leader of the Council and identified as the Leader of the Labour Group, nominated Councillor Gardiner. Councillor Zeeshan was appointed Deputy Mayor by Councillor Gardiner, suggesting a likely affiliation with the Labour Group.

More details on the proceedings can be found in the Public reports pack and the Supplementary Agenda for the meeting.

Councils Involved

Greenwich

Meetings Involved

the Council Annual Meeting of Greenwich Council on 27 May 2026

People Involved

Linda Bird Mayor Labour and Co-operative Eltham Park and Progress

Councillor Joshua Ayodele Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Integrated Enforcement Labour and Co-operative Woolwich Arsenal

Councillor Jo van den Broek Labour and Co-operative Charlton Village and Riverside

Councillor Jummy Dawodu Labour and Co-operative Abbey Wood

Councillor Matt Hartley Leader of the Conservative Group Conservative Mottingham, Coldharbour and New Eltham

Councillor Lewis Hurst Labour and Co-operative Kidbrooke Village and Sutcliffe

Councillor Elizabeth Ige Labour and Co-operative Woolwich Common

Councillor Gaumaya Gurung Ranabhat Labour Abbey Wood

Councillor Rob Sayers Conservative Eltham Town and Avery Hill

Councillor Femi Solola Labour and Co-operative Thamesmead Moorings

Councillor David Gardner Mayor Labour and Co-operative Charlton Village and Riverside

Councillor Bren Albiston Labour and Co-operative Charlton Hornfair

Councillor Olu Babatola Labour and Co-operative Middle Park and Horn Park

Councillor Sandra Bauer Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Post-16 Futures Labour and Co-operative Kidbrooke Village and Sutcliffe

Councillor Tom Creswell Cabinet Member for Planning and Development Labour Abbey Wood

Councillor Tillie Muir Labour Greenwich Creekside

Councillor Calum O'Byrne Mulligan Cabinet Member for Transport, Climate Change, Waste and Streets Labour Greenwich Creekside

Councillor Gabriella Olumide Labour and Co-operative Eltham Park and Progress

Councillor Tamasin Rhymes Leader of the Green Group Green Shooters Hill

Councillor Nikki Thurlow Labour and Co-operative Kidbrooke Park

Director of Health and Adult Services

Councillor Nathan Baffour-Awuah Labour West Thamesmead

Councillor George Edgar Green East Greenwich

Councillor John Fahy Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Labour and Co-operative Kidbrooke Park

Councillor Patricia Greenwell Conservative Eltham Town and Avery Hill

Councillor Jessica Holland Green Charlton Hornfair

Councillor Jo Land Green East Greenwich

Councillor Averil Lekau Labour and Co-operative Thamesmead Moorings

Councillor Asli Mohammed Cabinet Member for Economy, Town Centres and Co-operatives Labour and Co-operative Woolwich Dockyard

Councillor Anthony Okereke Leader of the Council Labour and Co-operative Woolwich Common

Councillor Claire Selby Green Greenwich Peninsula

Councillor Jackie Smith Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing, Greenwich Builds and Estate Regeneration Labour and Co-operative Woolwich Arsenal

Councillor Stacy Smith Green Greenwich Park

Councillor Christine St. Matthew-Daniel Labour and Co-operative Blackheath Westcombe

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources Labour and Co-operative Middle Park and Horn Park

Councillor Roger Tester Conservative Mottingham, Coldharbour and New Eltham

Councillor Tammy Aghedo Labour and Co-operative Plumstead and Glyndon

Councillor Paul Banks Reform Eltham Page

Councillor Leonie Barron Green Plumstead Common

Councillor Stewart Christie Deputy Leader of the Green Group Green Plumstead Common

Councillor Jeremy Fraser Chair of Planning Labour and Co-operative Eltham Park and Progress

Councillor Max Green Green Shooters Hill

Councillor Adel Khaireh Cabinet Member for Culture, Equalities and Leisure Labour and Co-operative Plumstead and Glyndon

Councillor Sam Littlewood Labour and Co-operative Woolwich Arsenal

Councillor David Monteith Green Plumstead Common

Councillor Jahdia Spencer Labour West Thamesmead

Councillor Raja Zeeshan Deputy Mayor Labour and Co-operative Woolwich Dockyard

Councillor Charlie Davis Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group Conservative Eltham Town and Avery Hill

Councillor Patrick Ives Green East Greenwich

Councillor Luke Warren Conservative Mottingham, Coldharbour and New Eltham

Councillor Jane Dickenson Labour and Co-operative Eltham Page

Councillor Leo Fletcher Labour and Co-operative Blackheath Westcombe

Councillor Mariam Lolavar Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care and Communities Labour and Co-operative Blackheath Westcombe

Councillor Austin McGrath Green Greenwich Peninsula

Councillor Jit Ranabhat Chair of Licensing Labour and Co-operative Plumstead and Glyndon

Councillor Denise Scott-McDonald Chair of Audit and Risk Management Panel Labour and Co-operative Greenwich Peninsula

Councillor Karin Tearle Green Greenwich Park

Interim Director of Place & Growth

Topics

David Gardiner Raja Zeeshan Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Deputy Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Royal Borough of Greenwich (RBG)