Abigail Marshall Katung, a Nigerian, has been announced as the new Lord Mayor of Leeds
Katung is to succeed the current Lord Mayor of Leeds, Al Garthwaite, who is the Labour councillor for the Headingley and Hyde Park ward.
Katung, a Labour & Co-operative Party councillor, represents Little London and Woodhouse ward and is also Chair of the Scrutiny Board (Infrastructure, Investment, and Inclusive Growth).
She grew up in Nigeria but moved to the UK to study at Leeds University.
Announcing the new role on her social media page, Katund expressed how “deeply honoured and humbled” to have been elected and that Leeds was a “shining example of unity and compassion”.
She said on social media: “It’s with great pride that my family and I look forward to undertaking the responsibility to serve.”
The mother of 19-year-old twin sons and current governor at Leeds City College, Katung pledges to use her new role to tackle “injustice, inequalities, and promoting a fairer and prosperous society”.
She said she looked forward to ‘’continuing collaborating with other stakeholders to provide skills and opportunities for people in the region.”
The forty-seven-year-old Nigerian was first elected to represent Little London and Woodhouse Ward in 2019 before being re-elected in May 2023 into the Leeds City Council elections for the second term.
