CW

Caroline Woodley has been elected as the new Mayor of Hackney after receiving 18,474 votes in the elections of Thursday 9 November.

Caroline has been a Labour ward councillor in Cazenove since 2018, and has spent three years as a Cabinet Member in Hackney Council. Her current portfolio is Families, Parks and Leisure.

She is the borough’s third directly elected mayor, and first woman mayor. She succeeds Philip Glanville, who resigned from the post in September. 

In her Cabinet position, Caroline has overseen transformation projects in Abney, Shoreditch and Springfield parks and renovation of seven children's play areas; secured £12 million from the Department for Education to help create 300 school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND); and driven forward plans for a new generation of leisure facilities in Hackney, including the new, award-winning Britannia Leisure Centre.

Caroline said: “I want to thank the people of Hackney for placing their faith in me and electing a Labour Mayor of Hackney. Serving this special place of solidarity and culture is the greatest honour of my life. I will work for you day and night. That's all of you. 

“Hackney Labour have a record to be proud of: hundreds of new homes for local people, thousands of new trees, clean streets, excellent schools, award-winning parks, national leadership on fair pay for local workers, increased SEND provision, insourcing and so much more.

“We’ve seen Hackney though Brexit and the pandemic, and we’re providing vital support to the local economy and our most vulnerable residents through the cost of living crisis.

“I will build on that legacy, with 1000 new council homes, a green new deal to tackle the climate emergency. I want to support local jobs, better customer services, and safer, healthier streets for all.”

She added: “I entered politics  five years ago. Back then, I could never have imagined I would go on to become the first woman to serve as the directly elected Mayor of Hackney. I will lead our borough in that spirit of progress: proudly anti-racist, inclusive, welcoming, kind and open. A place where you can be who you are. A place for us all.”

The election turnout was 20.69% of the 180,205 electorate. A total of 37,289 ballot papers were cast of which 15,731 were postal votes. 

The full election results are:

Simon De Deney (Liberal Democrats) - Votes: 1,879

Zoe Garbett (Greens) - Votes: 9,075

Peter Smorthit (Independent) - Votes: 1,382

Simche Steinberger (Conservative) - Votes: 5,039

Annoesjka Valent (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) - Votes: 1,265

Caroline Woodley (Labour) - Votes: 18,474