Mayor Chris Cooke to serve as Acting SIGOMA Chair

Posted on May 20, 2026

Following the decision of Councillor Sir Stephen Houghton to step down as SIGOMA Chair, Mayor Chris Cooke, Leader of Middlesbrough Council, will serve as Acting Chair until our AGM in July. 

Mayor Cooke has paid tribute to Councillor Sir Stephen Houghton’s long service as Chair and set out his priorities for the months ahead:

"The recent local election results mark a moment of real change. As we reflect on that, I want to thank Councillor Sir Stephen Houghton for his many years of dedicated service to SIGOMA members, working with local authorities and governments of all colours to ensure a fair deal for our communities.

 "As Acting Chair, my focus is on continuity and strong engagement across our membership. We will keep pressing for fair funding and a system that properly reflects deprivation and the scale of need in our communities.

 "Looking ahead, our priority is to protect the current settlement as a baseline while making the case for a stronger, fairer system in the years ahead, alongside reform in key services and support for inclusive growth."