Mayor of Lewisham nominated to House of Lords

Mayor Dacres said:

“It’s an incredible honour to be awarded a peerage by the Prime Minister. I must admit I was very shocked to receive the phone call!

“It’s a privilege to serve the people of Lewisham, as I have done for over a decade. Lewisham is a very special place; it is my home, and I am looking forward to being a voice for our borough nationally, while remaining committed to my role as Mayor until the end of my term.”

Mayor Dacres was elected mayor in March 2024. She was the first directly elected Black mayor in London. She was previously a councillor for 10 years, representing wards in New Cross and Deptford. She became Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing Development and Planning in 2021.

She is currently Chair of the Transport and Environment Committee at London Councils; the Vice Chair of Central London Forward; and a member of the LGA’s Public Sector Reform and Innovation Committee.  She was awarded an OBE in 2025.

Brenda has lived in Lewisham for over 40 years. Her parents came to England from Jamaica in the 1960s as part of the Windrush generation, her dad working as a mechanic and black cab driver, and her mum as an NHS nurse.

She received a grant from Lewisham Council and became the first in her family to go to university at London South Bank. She completed a degree in Physical Sciences with Computing before completing a Law degree, and was called to the Bar in 2006 by Middle Temple.