Councillor says there has been a vote to change the leadership at Slough Borough Council

A leadership change could be set to take place at Slough Borough Council, according to a Labour councillor.

Cllr Mohammed Nazir (Lab, Baylis and Stoke) has told the Express that the council’s Labour group has voted for a new leader and deputy of the council.

He said that Cllr Sohail Munawar (Lab, Elliman), previously commissioner for social and economic inclusion, has been voted in to replace Cllr Robert Anderson (Lab, Britwell) as the council leader.

He added that Cllr Sabia Hussain (Lab, Central), previously commissioner for health and wellbeing, has also been voted as the council’s new deputy leader, replacing Cllr James Swindlehurst (Lab, Cippenham Green).

Cllr Nazir told the Express the party met at the council’s office in St Martin’s Place, Bath Road, for a post-election meeting on Saturday morning where the leadership vote took place.

He would not comment on why the party decided to choose a new leader but did praise Cllr Anderson for his work over the past eight years.

“Rob has done a wonderful job for Slough,” he said.

Cllr Nazir could not confirm when the changes may formally take place.

The vote follows the local elections on Thursday where the council’s Labour party increased its overall majority.

Update 12.04pm: A Slough Borough Council spokesman said: “Councillor Sohail Munawar and Councillor Sabia Hussain have been respectively elected as leader and deputy leader of the labour group.

“All substantive appointments will be confirmed at the annual council meeting on May 17.”