New mayor sworn in

Councillor Maggi Clark briefly assumed the duties of mayor last year after former councillor Barry Dodson stepped down from the role in June — two weeks after being sworn in.

The outgoing mayor, councillor John Foden, was then reappointed while Maggi resumed her role as deputy.

Dodson is due to stand trial for indecently assaulting a 13 year-old girl in 1987.

He has denied the offence and has been bailed to appear for trial in August.

Now Cllr Clark will take on the role proper.

She was first elected onto the authority in 1990 for the former central ward and served for 12 years.

A decade later the mother-of-two was re-elected as a Labour member for the Keppel ward, on which she still serves.

The Kimberworth-born councillor has worked as a civil servant in the District Valuer’s Office in Rotherham and also gained an Open University degree in development studies, specialising in economics and politics.

The grandmother-of-three is a founding member of the Rotherham Walking Festival and the Rotherham Churches Tourism Project.

Her husband and Consort, Peter, have chosen two local charities to support during their year in office — Start A Heart 24/7, which provide 24 hours access to external defibrillators and safe boxes, and the Rotherham Neuro Support Group.

This charity supports people and their families who have suffered a stroke or other neurological disorders.

The installation ceremony for the new mayor was followed by the annual Civic Parade and Service on Saturday and ended with a service in the Rotherham Minster.