Waltham Forest council has sworn in its new leader and mayor.

Cllr Clare Coghill officially took charge of the council at a meeting last week previous leader, Cllr Chris Robbins, who had been at the local authority’s helm since 2009, stepped down.

Cllr Coghill, who represents High Street Ward in Walthamstow, becomes the borough’s first female leader and one of just eight women leading councils across London.

The new leader has chosen nine cabinet members and two junior cabinet members in a small reshuffle.

Cllr Liaquat Ali has moved from his role as cabinet member for community safety to cabinet member for commercial operations, while Cllr Simon Miller replaces Cllr Coghill as cabinet member for economic growth.

Meanwhile, Cllr Yemi Osho has replaced Cllr Peter Herrington as Mayor of Waltham Forest, who raised more than £26,000 in charitable funds for Whipps Cross Hospital during his term.

Cllr Osho, a nurse practitioner with more than 30 years of service, was awarded the Queen’s Nurse title in 2012 by the Queen’s Nursing Institute.

The mayor’s has chosen Diabetes UK as her charity of the year and will run fundraising efforts alongside the charity to support local, borough-based diabetic services.