Sally Powell
Encyclopedia
Dame Sally Ann Vickers Powell, DBE
(born 2 October 1955) is a local councillor in Great Britain for the Labour Party
, where she is deputy leader of the Local Government Association
's Labour Group.
and educated at the Royal Ballet School
; she became a dancer with the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet
. She later attended Southampton University where she obtained a law degree in 1984, and qualified as a solicitor. In 1986 she was elected as a councillor in Hammersmith and Fulham
and swiftly became chair of the Environment Committee. The reorganisation of leadership roles in local government changed her job title but she remained responsible for regeneration in the borough until Labour lost power in 2006.
Powell's main prominence has been in associations representing groups of local authorities. She was Vice Chair of the Association of London Government
from 1996, and was also a member of the London Development Agency
, Chair of Greater London Enterprise, Deputy Chair of Business Link for London and Vice Chair of the Improvement and Development Agency
(IDeA). She became one of the UK's representatives on the Committee of the Regions
in 1994. In the New Year Honours list of 2001 she was awarded a Damehood for services to London and to local government.
Powell, as Deputy Leader of the Labour Group on the Local Government Association, was one of two councillor representatives on the Labour Party's National Executive Committee
until she retired in 2008.
, former Member of Parliament
for Hammersmith and Fulham; they have one son.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 2 October 1955) is a local councillor in Great Britain for the Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, where she is deputy leader of the Local Government Association
Local Government Association
The Local Government Association is a voluntary lobbying organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector in England and Wales, which seeks to be an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf....
's Labour Group.
Career
Powell was born in BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and educated at the Royal Ballet School
Royal Ballet School
The Royal Ballet School is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the Royal Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Royal Opera House in London...
; she became a dancer with the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet
Birmingham Royal Ballet
Birmingham Royal Ballet is one of the three major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside the Royal Ballet and the English National Ballet....
. She later attended Southampton University where she obtained a law degree in 1984, and qualified as a solicitor. In 1986 she was elected as a councillor in Hammersmith and Fulham
London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham
The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham is a London borough in West London, and forms part of Inner London. Traversed by the east-west main roads of the A4 Great West Road and the A40 Westway, many international corporations have offices in the borough....
and swiftly became chair of the Environment Committee. The reorganisation of leadership roles in local government changed her job title but she remained responsible for regeneration in the borough until Labour lost power in 2006.
Powell's main prominence has been in associations representing groups of local authorities. She was Vice Chair of the Association of London Government
Association of London Government
London Councils is the local government association for London, England, bringing together representatives of the 32 London Boroughs and the City of London Corporation, the Metropolitan Police Authority and the London Fire Brigade who are all members by subscription...
from 1996, and was also a member of the London Development Agency
London Development Agency
The London Development Agency is the Regional Development Agency for Greater London, England. It is a functional body of the Greater London Authority...
, Chair of Greater London Enterprise, Deputy Chair of Business Link for London and Vice Chair of the Improvement and Development Agency
Improvement and Development Agency
Local Government Improvement and Development is one of the six bodies that form the Local Government Group overseen by the Local Government Association in England and Wales...
(IDeA). She became one of the UK's representatives on the Committee of the Regions
Committee of the Regions
The Committee of the Regions is European Union's assembly of local and regional representatives that provides sub-national authorities with a direct voice within the EU's institutional framework....
in 1994. In the New Year Honours list of 2001 she was awarded a Damehood for services to London and to local government.
Powell, as Deputy Leader of the Labour Group on the Local Government Association, was one of two councillor representatives on the Labour Party's National Executive Committee
National Executive Committee
The National Executive Committee or NEC is the chief administrative body of the UK Labour Party. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affiliated trade unions, the Parliamentary Labour Party and European Parliamentary Labour Party, Constituency Labour Parties,...
until she retired in 2008.
Personal life
Powell is married to Iain ColemanIain Coleman
Iain Coleman was the Labour Member of Parliament for Hammersmith and Fulham in London from 1997 to 2005. He was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham for Shepherd's Bush Green ward in May 2010....
, former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Hammersmith and Fulham; they have one son.