Wolverhampton Mayor Sandra Samuels to stand down as councillor
The Mayor of Wolverhampton is set to stand down as a councillor next year.
Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE is standing down in Ettingshall at the 2023 local elections having represented the ward for Labour since 2009.
She is one of seven current councillors who will not be standing for re-election next year.
The 64-year-old told the Star: "I have decided not to seek re-election next year having served for 14 years in Ettingshall and loved every minute of it.
"After working in the NHS for 40 years and spending so much time in local government I think it is finally time to do something else!
"I will be leaving with a heavy heart. For me there is no greater honour than being able to serve the city I grew up in.
"I am looking forward to completing my term as mayor and taking on the new challenges ahead."
Councillor Samuels became the city's first mayor of African Caribbean heritage in May and previously served as a councillor in Park ward from 2004-2007.
She retired from the NHS seven years ago having worked as a nurse, theatre sister and manager. A community activist for almost four decades, she has also been a trade union official and a school governor.
She was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) medal in 2015 by the Queen for services to local government and politics.
During her 17 years on the council she held cabinet positions in health, adult social care and corporate governance. She also served as chair of the Blakenhall branch of the Labour Party and spent 14 years on the national policy forum.
A number of other councillors are set to depart Wolverhampton Council next year, including Conservative Jonathan Yardley who is standing down in Tettenhall Regis after 20 years.
For Labour, Clare Simm (Oxley), Paul Birch (Blakenhall), Olivia Birch (Bilston North) and Beverley Momenabadi (Ettingshall) are all standing down.
Blakenhall councillor Jasbinder Dehar is understood to have been deselected and replaced by new candidate Sally Green.
Meanwhile current Wednesfield South councillor Bhupinder Gakhal is moving over to contest Blakenhall in place of Mr Birch.
All-out elections will take place in the city on May 4, 2023.
