In a week marked by sweeping political changes and renewed ambitions for local governance, two major English councils—Durham County Council and Peterborough City Council—unveiled new leadership teams and cabinet structures, each signaling a shift in priorities and a fresh approach to tackling community challenges.
On September 16, 2025, Andrew Husband, the leader of Durham County Council, announced a significant cabinet reshuffle, the first major move since Reform UK took control of the council 100 days earlier. The announcement, as reported by local media, followed a comprehensive review of cabinet roles and responsibilities designed to align the council’s leadership with Reform UK’s vision for the county’s future. The new structure, Husband explained, is meant to put “the right responsibilities in the right place and maintain a focus on key areas—including the economy—with experienced and knowledgeable cabinet members making up the cabinet.”
Crucially, the overhaul did not remove any areas of responsibility but instead clarified the focus of each portfolio, renaming several roles and introducing a new executive position. Councillor Kyle Genner, representing Bowburn and Coxhoe ward, was appointed to the newly created post of portfolio holder for neighbourhoods, environment, and police relations. Husband welcomed Genner to the team, stating, “In light of these changes, an opportunity has arisen for a new member to join the cabinet in the newly created role of portfolio holder for neighbourhoods, environment and police relations, and I am delighted to welcome Cllr Kyle Genner to the post.”
The revamped cabinet, set to meet formally on September 17, 2025, now comprises: Andrew Husband as Leader, Darren Grimes as Deputy Leader, Nicola Lyons for Communities and Civic Resilience, Tim McGuinness for Rural, Farming and Transport, Stephen Gray for Transformation, Efficiency, Digital and Procurement, Karen Allison for Leisure, Tourism and High Street, Kyle Genner for Neighbourhoods, Environment and Police Relations, Joe Quinn for Planning, Investments and Assets, Howard Brown for Adult and Health Services, and Cathy Hunt for Children and Young People’s Services. The changes, Husband emphasized, reflect a commitment to “deliver the priorities of local people in County Durham.”
Meanwhile, in Peterborough, political history was quietly made. On September 12, 2025, Councillor Shabina Qayyum was elected as the new leader of Peterborough City Council during an extraordinary meeting at Sand Martin House. According to reports, Qayyum—Labour group leader—emerged victorious in a closely watched leadership contest, winning 37 votes to the Conservative group’s Wayne Fitzgerald’s 12, with four abstentions. The leadership vote followed the resignation of Councillor Dennis Jones the previous week, prompting a rapid transition period for the city’s administration.
Qayyum’s election is notable not only for the political shift it represents but for the milestone it marks: she is the first woman to lead Peterborough City Council since 1999. Reflecting on her appointment, Qayyum remarked, “I’m delighted to have been elected as Peterborough City Council’s new leader after the vote at the extraordinary meeting that was held. We have been elected as a Labour-led coalition formed with the Peterborough First group of Independents and the Liberal Democrat group on the council.”
The new administration, Qayyum continued, is determined to “hit the ground running to continue the business of the council in a new, collaborative and inclusive administration that will bring with it the stability our city so needs.” She also expressed pride in the diversity of the new cabinet, highlighting the increasing number of women across the chamber and pledging to “drive our ambitions for the city forward with a renewed culture; exercising good examples in public life of behaviour to restore your faith in politicians once again.”
Qayyum’s deputy will be Councillor Mohammed Farooq of Peterborough First, and the cabinet she has assembled is a broad-based coalition: five Labour members, three Peterborough First members, and two Liberal Democrats. The cabinet portfolios were announced as follows: Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Growth and Regeneration, Mohammed Farooq; Finance and Corporate Governance, Mohammed Jamil; Children’s Services, Katy Cole; Environment and Transport, Angus Ellis; Adult Social Care, Neil Boyce; Housing and Regulatory Services, Christian Hogg; Communities, Poverty and Public Health, Zameer Ali; with cabinet advisors Ray Bisby and Chris Wiggin supporting Adult Social Care and Housing and Regulatory Services, respectively. The first public meeting of the new cabinet is scheduled for September 30, with the agenda set to be published on September 22.
Both councils’ new leadership teams face daunting tasks ahead. In Durham, the focus remains on economic development, community resilience, and ensuring that the new cabinet structure is more than just a reshuffle of titles. Husband was keen to stress that the reforms were not cosmetic: “Our new cabinet structure puts the right responsibilities in the right place and maintains a focus on key areas—including the economy—with experienced and knowledgeable cabinet members making up the cabinet. The cabinet roles have also been re-named to make responsibilities clearer, with no areas of responsibility having been removed.”
In Peterborough, Qayyum’s Labour-led coalition has set its sights on “driving the city’s economy and development and submitting our case for Local Government Reform.” The city, she noted, is “one of the fastest growing in the country,” and the new administration is determined to keep “its unique characteristics and residents at the heart of all the decisions we undertake.” The collaborative nature of the new cabinet, spanning Labour, independent, and Liberal Democrat voices, is intended to foster stability and inclusivity—qualities that Qayyum believes are essential for restoring public confidence in local government.
Observers and community members alike will be watching closely as both councils transition into this new era. The changes in Durham and Peterborough reflect broader trends in local government across the UK, where coalitions, cross-party collaboration, and a renewed emphasis on transparency and public trust are becoming the new normal. Whether these new cabinets can deliver on their ambitious promises remains to be seen, but for now, both counties are stepping forward with a sense of purpose and no small amount of optimism.
With new faces at the helm and redefined priorities, the coming months will be a crucial test of leadership for both Durham and Peterborough—one that could shape the future of their communities for years to come.
