Councillors debate fairness of Rotherham Mayor role after Labour's 50-year stranglehold

The first citizen position has been the possession of the ruling group since the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham was created on April 1, 1974.

Members voted last week for Cllr Rob Taylor to become mayor, with his newly-chosen deputy Cllr Sheila Cowen set to follow in wearing the main chains in 2024/25 if she retains her seat in the local elections next summer.

But the opposition benches used the opportunity to air feelings of unfairness about the role, which they say should be shared across the chamber based on how many seats the parties hold.

The Tories nominated Cllr Adam Tinsley against Labour’s choice of Cllr Cowen for deputy mayor, with group leader Cllr Simon Ball calling him “one of the hardest working councillors in the chamber”.

Party colleagues cited his efforts for the Ukraine cause, and overcoming obstacles for communities to hold Remembrance Day parades, and his role as a community first responder.

Cllr Ball described Cllr Tinsley as one of the hardest working councillors in the chamber.

He added: “I’ve been with him having a pint in the local, when he’ll suddenly disappear, only to find him outside checking the defibrillators are in working order.”

Cllr David Fisher added: “A quick look at his social media will show you the hard-working councillor that he is.

“Because of this, he’s gained respect from residents around Maltby and the borough.”

Cllr Tim Baum-Dixon said Cllr Tinsley would be an amazing ambassador for Rotherham — but asked how many suitable candidates had been passed over like this because of the “internal wranglings of Labour and the system we have in place”.

Independent Cllr Michael Bennett-Sylvester accused the ruling group of using the mayoral position to its political advantage.

“There’s not one person on that [Labour] side who will remove one little finger from their grip on power to acknowledge a community councillor,” he added.

Lib Dem group leader Cllr Adam Carter said it was high time the mayoral position represented the political make-up of the borough by switches between various parties.

“We see it in other boroughs, such as Sheffield,” he added.

Long-standing Labour member Cllr Alan Atkin pointed out that Tories Michael Clarke and Chris Middleton had nearly become mayor — but admitted that proportionality may be the way to go.

The ruling group said afterwards that Cllr Atkin’s was a personally-held view but proportionality could be a possibility in the future.

Former mayor Cllr Rose McNeely said she was proposing Cllr Cowen because she leads by example, is a mum of three, cares for her elderly mother, has been a member of the RAF and Royal British Legion and was a teacher in Barnsley for 27 years.

Another former mayor, Cllr Maggi Clark, said she was left furious and shaking at opposition shouts of “cowards” as Cllr Tinsley was rejected.

Cllr Lewis Mills, Conservatives, said he could not even recall Cllr Cowen speaking in the town hall chamber.  

Speaking on another matter later in the meeting, Cllr Cowen responded: “Sometimes, from my life experience, a modicum of silence can be more effective in the political arena.”

Labour’s Cllr Victoria Cusworth said Cllr Cowen may not shout as loudly or post as often on Facebook but that did not mean hard work was not being done.

She added: “If you cut Sheila open like a stick of rock, you will see inclusivity and social justice running through her very core.”