British Women Mayors

Women Mayors writers
Dec 3, 2023
3 min read

Updated: May 8

Five of England’s 14 regions have women mayors

Five out of 14 cities with elected mayors have women at the top

Re-elected and newly elected English women mayors in 2025 (left to right): Ros Jones (Doncaster), Karen Clark (North Tyneside), Helen Godwin (West of England), Andrea Jenkyns (Greater Lincolnshire)

Elected women mayors in England

May 2025: In London and several metropolitan areas, England’s cities are led by elected Mayors, while all but 14 of the 296 local councils in England are run by a Council Leader elected by their fellow councillors. Since 2002, a number have been led by mayors elected directly by local voters. Most of the local authority-elected mayors in England have responsibility for all local services, with two district council mayors responsible for only the environment, planning and housing. In London and the mostly metropolitan areas Combined Authorities, the Mayor is responsible for transport, economic development, skills and spatial planning, as well as other fields as devolved.

All of England’s elected mayors were previously elected for four-year terms by the instant run-off Supplementary Vote; from 2023, this has been by a simple majority (‘First Past the Post’). There are no elected mayors in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Five of England’s 14 regions with elected mayors have women at their helm. Tracy Brabin, a former actress and Member of Parliament (MP), was elected in 2021. She was joined in 2024 by Claire Ward (East Midlands) and Kim McGuinness (North East). In local and regional elections held on 1 May 2025, four out of six mayoral polls were won by women. Newly elected women mayors include Andrea Jenkyns (Greater Lincolnshire), Helen Godwin (West of England) and Karen Clark (North Tyneside). Ros Jones, who became Mayor of Doncaster, was re-elected in a tight race.

In addition to elected regional mayors, 14 out of 296 local councils in England have elected mayors in place. The remainder are run by a council leader elected by their fellow councillors. Of the 14 elected city mayors, five are women. Ros Jones (Doncaster) has been in office for 12 years. Rokhsana Fiaz (London Borough of Newham) was elected in 2018, while Caroline Woodley (London Borough of Hackney) replaced her male predecessor in a by-election in November 2023. Brenda Dacres (London Borough of Lewisham) was elected in March 2024 in a by-election to replace her male predecessor, Damien Egan. In North Tyneside, Karen Clark took over from Norma Redfearn in May 2025.

Elected female mayors in English regions

East Midlands

Popl: 4,810,000

Claire Ward, Mayor since 2024

Party: Labour

Annual allowance: £93,000

Greater Lincolnshire

Popl: 1,130,000

Andrea Jenkyns, Mayor since 2025

Party: Reform UK

Annual allowance to be confirmed

North East

Popl: 2,550,000 (in 2021)

Kim McGuinness, Mayor since 2024

Party: Labour

Annual allowance: £92,000

West of England

Popl: 1,14,000

Helen Godwin, Mayor since 2025

Party: Labour

Annual allowance to be confirmed

West Yorkshire

Popl: 2,320,000

Tracy Brabin, Mayor since 2021

Party: Labour

Annual allowance £106,837*

Elected female mayors in English cities

Doncaster

Popl: 291,000

Ros Jones, Mayor since 2013

Party: Labour

Annual allowance: £67,236*

Hackney (London Borough)

Popl: 212,200

Caroline Woodley, Mayor since 2023

Party: Labour

Annual allowance: £89,224*

Lewisham (London Borough)

Popl: 300,000

Brenda Dacres, Mayor since 2024

Party: Labour

Annual allowance: £80,759*

Newham (London Borough)

Popl: 249,500

Rokhsana Fiaz, Mayor since 2018

Party: Labour

Annual allowance: £87,997*

North Tyneside

Popl: 196,000

Karen Clark, Mayor since 2013

Party: Labour

Annual allowance £68,499*

Research conducted in May 2025, following the local and regional elections on 1 May 2025. All salary data shown has been cross-referenced across a range of sources and is to the best of our knowledge accurate at the time of writing in December 2023.

May 2025 elections: English voters elected more women than men in mayoral contests

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