Councillor Steve Reed was elected Leader of Lambeth Council in 2006 winning re-election with an increased majority in 2010, the first time any administration has been re-elected in Lambeth for twenty years. He has been a councillor for Brixton Hill Ward since 1998. Steve launched a major public consultation in May 2010 on proposals to establish Lambeth as Britain's first cooperative council, aiming to encourage public sector organisations to work more closely with communities and services users to deliver more responsive services that offer better value for money. Steve is Executive Board Member for Children and Young People's Services at London Councils, Deputy Chairman of the Local Government Association, Labour's deputy leader in local government nationally, and chairman of Central London Forward.

Before entering politics Steve worked in academic and professional publishing for a number of global publishing and information organisations.