New mayor of Wolverhampton appointed

City of Wolverhampton Council has appointed the city's 166th mayor.

Councillor Craig Collingswood took over from outgoing mayor councillor Linda Leach, at an annual council meeting on Wednesday night.

Collingswood, who has served the Park Ward since 2012 and was deputy mayor last year, said: "As a born and bred Wulfrunian, it is an incredible honour and I pledge to dedicate my time, energy and commitment to serving this amazing place to the best of my ability."

His daughter Abby, a cardiothoracic nurse at New Cross Hospital's Heart and Lung Centre, is mayoress.

"Abby will be a wonderful mayoress and, together, we promise to act with integrity and put the interests of our city and Wulfrunians first and foremost," Collingswood said.

"Let us work together to make Wolverhampton an even better place for future generations, guided by the light that our motto so brilliantly embodies."

The mayor has chosen four charities to support during his year: SAFFA, the armed forces charity; the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust Charity; the Wolverhampton palliative care charity, Compton Care; and Acorns Children's Hospice.

Councillor Paul Singh has been appointed deputy mayor for 2025-26, with his wife Ranjit Dhillon becoming deputy mayoress.

Collingswood, who attended Manor Primary and Parkfields Secondary schools, worked in occupational health in local government for many years before becoming a lecturer.

His father was a Bilston councillor for 17 years and, following in his footsteps, the new mayor previously served as the council's cabinet member for resident services and the environment, and as chair of the audit and risk committee.

His son Jack, a trooper serving with the British Army in The Queen's Royal Hussars regiment in Germany, is also chair of the Wolverhampton Armed Forces Covenant Board.

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