First African & First Black Woman Councilors Elected To Derby City Council 

Derby Labour group said it actively encouraged women to stand in all wards to introduce more women into the city’s Council Chamber. As a result, ten of the 23 Labour Councilors are female.

The first African person elected to Derby City Council has said he is “elated” at being voted as a councilor following last Thursday’s local elections. Ndukwe Onuoha, who will represent Mackworth and New Zealand ward, is one of several new faces following the resignation of many long-serving city councilors and a turnabout in the authority’s political make-up, which also includes the election of the first black woman to the council.

The count, which took place at Derby Arena last Friday, left Labour with the most seats, 23, including Mr. Onuoha, but without majority control. It potentially means that Labour will take charge of the council from the Conservatives, who now have 15 seats, down two from before the election. Reform Derby has six cores, Lib Dems, who lost four seats. have eight, and there are three independent councilors.

Speaking after the count, Mr. Onuoha, who came to the UK in 2021 and worked as an advertising copywriter, said: “I have always been interested in politics and have been keen to contribute to the life of an increasingly diverse Derby.

“I am also hoping that as the city’s first African to be elected, I will be able to bridge the gap between the various immigrant communities. I am elated to have been selected and aware of the immense responsibility the role of the counselor will bring.

Professor Cecile Wright, who will be representing the Arboretum ward, is the first black woman to become a city councilor and is one of 10 female councilors in the Labour group.

Ms. Wright said: “I am the first black woman elected as a Derby city councilor. I feel very humbled, honored, and I look forward to serving the people of the Arboretum ward. I grew up in the ward and will serve the people to the best of my ability. I wish to also thank the people of Arboretum for trusting me.”

Ahead of the election, the first all-out election for all 51 seats at once for just over 20 years, the Derby Labour group said it was actively encouraging women to stand in all wards to introduce more women into the city’s Council Chamber. As a result, ten of the 23 Labour Councilors are female.

In total, from all parties, there are now 16 women councilors, compared to 14 previously, including Carmel Ashby (L), Sue Bonser (L), Cecile Wright (L), Sara Bolton (L), Kathy Kozlowski (L), Celia Ingall(I), Alison Martin (L), Carmel Swan (L), Lucy Care (LD), Emily Lonsdale (LD), Alison Holmes (C), Gurkiran Kaur Thandi (L), Freya Trewhella (C), Nadine Peatfield (L), Sarah Chambers (L) and Nicola Roulstone (C).

New councilors include:

Labor

Carmel Ashby (Abbey)

Neil Wilson ( Chaddesden North)

Gurkiran Kaur Thandi (Normanton)

Kathy Kozlowski (Chaddesden West)

Ndukwe Onuoha (Mackworth & New Zealand)

Sarah Chambers (Sinfin & Osmaston)

Cecile Wright (Arboretum)

Sara Bolton (Blagreaves

Saquib Amin (Blagreaves)

Conservatives

Kieran Morgan-McGeehan (Allestree)

Jaimie Mulhall (Oakwood)

Freya Trewhella (Oakwood)

John Wright (Chaddesden East)

Liberal Democrats

Richard Hudson (Chaddesden North)

Reform Derby

Stephen Fowke (Alvaston South)

Alan Lindsey (Alvaston South)

Independents

Stephen Lakin (Chellaston)