Councillor Darren Rodwell has announced he is standing down as Leader of the Council in September. 

Councillor Rodwell was elected to the council in 2010 and has served as Leader for the past 10 years. During this time the council secured investment and new opportunities which have transformed the borough. 

As well as being responsible for building one in five of London’s affordable homes, it has attracted two brand new film studios, a modern university run by CULondon, the Future Youth Zone in Parsloes Park, London’s only Women’s Museum in Barking, the Thames Clipper Service and a new train station at Barking Riverside. This is alongside building new homes in Barking town centre including the 360 Building, the former Gascoigne estate, and former industrial land including Beam Park, Ford’s former stamping plant, in Dagenham.  

In recent years, the City of London has also agreed plan to relocate its historic wholesale markets, Smithfield, Billingsgate and New Spitalfields to Dagenham.

Councillor Rodwell has served on London Councils executive and chaired the Local Government Association’s policy boards on housing and net zero. As executive member for housing and regeneration, Councillor Rodwell has played an integral part in promoting inward investment into the capital through Opportunity London, a London Councils’ initiative. 

Councillor Rodwell will be stepping down from his role as Leader in September but will continue as a member of the council.