The Labour group has formally announced the new face of Hounslow Council after wrestling control from the Tories.

Councillor Jagdish Sharma will take the helm, replacing Conservative Councillor Peter Thompson – leader for the past four years.

Former council leader Councillor Colin Ellar, who was re-elected last Friday after losing his seat in 2006, will be mayor.

Labour councillors elected the new executive after meetings on Sunday and Tuesday.

Councillor Ruth Cadbury will be deputy leader and councillors Lily Bath, Raj Bath, Theo Dennison, Pritam Grewal, Sachin Gupta, Gurmail Lal, Ed Mayne, and Corinna Smart will also be on the top table.

The new council leader was unable to say this week how his administration would afford its promises – which include giving more cash to schools and building 2,500 affordable homes – while at the same time cutting council tax.

Coun Cadbury described the pledges as “our contract with the voters”, and said she looked forward to pushing them through.

But outgoing leader Councillor Thompson said the Labour administration faced “difficult times ahead”.

He said: “The challenge will be for the new council to move forward and deal with all the cuts in public spending everyone is talking about.

“They will have some really tough decisions to make, and I wish them well.”

Coun Sharma said his team is to meet council officers to work out its spending plans.

He said: “We will see how it goes. If the new Government is not sympathetic we will say ‘this is what we want to do, don’t stand in our way’.”

He said Alan Keen, Labour MP for Feltham and Heston, would be an “important person” in the council’s relationship with central Government.

“The previous administration did not use his services, which is sad I think. We will work very closely with our MP,” he said.

Labour will hold 35 seats on the council, while the Conservatives will have 25.

The administration will announce which councillors will hold the executive positions on Tuesday.