Chris Barnham is a member of Lewisham Council (for Crofton Park ward) and since 2018 the Lewisham Cabinet Member for Children and Young People. This role embraces political oversight of all the Council's responsibilities in education and children's social care. He has lived in Ladywell since the 1990s, with three children having attended Lewisham schools.

Most of his career has been spent in education policy, including as a senior civil servant at the Department for Education. Away from Council business, Chris is a science fiction writer.