Sandwell residents get new council leadership team: what residents need to know
Sandwell Council has confirmed Councillor Ray Nock as its new Leader following the authority’s annual meeting on 26 May.
Councillor Gary Dale has been appointed Deputy Leader, while a new Cabinet has also been named to set the council’s strategic and policy direction.
Nock said he was born in Sandwell and had lived and worked in the borough all his life. He said the new leadership team would focus on jobs, town centres, high streets and cost-of-living pressures affecting residents.
New leadership confirmed after annual meeting
The appointment puts Councillor Ray Nock at the head of Sandwell Council’s political leadership, with responsibility for leading the authority and chairing the Cabinet.
In a statement after his confirmation, Nock said it was an “honour and privilege” to be elected Leader of the Council. He said the Cabinet would work “for all our residents” and seek to bring the community together.
The annual meeting also confirmed Councillor Gary Dale as Statutory Deputy Leader. His Cabinet brief covers finance and corporate services, placing him at the centre of budget, governance and organisational decisions.
Cabinet portfolios for Sandwell Council
The new Cabinet line-up sets out which councillors will oversee major service areas across the borough.
Councillor Ray Nock will serve as Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Growth. Councillor Gary Dale becomes Statutory Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services.
Councillor Ken Parsons has been appointed Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing. Councillor Bob Jones will oversee Environment and Enforcement, while Councillor Mona Khurana takes the Children and Families portfolio.
Councillor Jack Sabharwal will lead on Education and Skills. Councillor Ritchie Massey has been appointed Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing, and Councillor Mike Cooper will cover Customer Services and Neighbourhoods.
Jobs, high streets and living costs named as priorities
The council says the Cabinet is responsible for setting strategic and policy direction. That means the new team will shape decisions on local services, regeneration, housing, education, adult care and neighbourhood issues.
Nock said the administration would be “focused on the issues that matter to people in Sandwell, creating jobs, boosting our town centres and high streets and helping with the cost of living.”
Source: Sandwell Council
Source check Source trail
This report is based on Sandwell Council’s published notice about the annual meeting and Cabinet appointments.
- Confirmed the named Leader and Deputy Leader from the council notice.
- Matched each Cabinet member to the portfolio listed in the source material.
- Used the dated annual meeting reference of 26 May from the source text.
- Limited the article to the appointments and priorities stated by the council.
- Source
- Sandwell Council
- Scope
- Sandwell
- Updated
- 2026-05-27 13:34
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