Councillor Ranjit Gill has been appointed Mayor of Hounslow for the 2026-27 civic year, taking office on 28 May 2026 alongside a newly announced council cabinet. The appointment follows Labour's retention of council control in the 7 May 2026 local elections, though with a reduced majority.
New Civic Leadership Team
Councillor Gill, who has lived in the borough for more than 40 years, was first elected in May 2018 for the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward and currently represents Osterley and Spring Grove. He will serve alongside Deputy Mayor Councillor Sahibaa Hussain, who represents Hounslow Heath ward.
Council Leader Shantanu Rajawat, reappointed on 5 May 2022, announced a nine-member cabinet on 27 May 2026. The cabinet includes:
- Councillor Tom Bruce: Deputy Leader, responsible for Regeneration and Economic Development
- Councillor Madeeha Asim: Children and Young Futures
- Councillor Lily Bath: Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care
- Councillor Samia Chaudhary: Transformation and Customer Experience
- Councillor Amy Croft: Infrastructure, Enforcement and Recycling
- Councillor Ajmer Grewal: Communities, Culture and Safety
- Councillor Max Mosley: Finances and Resources
- Councillor Sue Sampson: Housing
- Councillor Salman Shaheen: Environment, Transport and Public Realm
Mayor's Charitable Focus
Councillor Gill has selected Age UK Hounslow's Dementia Services as his mayoral charity. The organisation operates a free Dementia Station in Feltham. The Mayor also volunteers with Café Together, a local initiative supporting homeless individuals.
In a statement, Councillor Gill said: "It is a great honour to serve as Mayor of Hounslow. This borough has been my home for over 40 years."
Election Results Context
The local elections on 7 May 2026 saw Labour secure 32 of 62 council seats, retaining control but with a narrower majority than in the previous term. The Conservatives won 17 seats, Reform UK secured 8, the Green Party took 3, and the Liberal Democrats and an independent candidate each won one seat. Turnout was 41 per cent, higher than in the 2022 elections.
The changed composition reflects growing support for Reform UK and the Conservatives, signalling a more contested political landscape ahead of the 2030 elections.
Cabinet Priorities
Councillor Rajawat highlighted ongoing regeneration commitments in his appointment statement, noting plans to deliver "thousands of new homes at a former MoD site in Feltham" and to "transform Brentford Leisure Centre." The council's administrative headquarters remain at Hounslow House on Bath Road.
According to the most recent estimates, the London Borough of Hounslow has a population of approximately 299,424 residents.