Agenda and minutes

To elect a Mayor and Chair of the Council for the 2025-26 municipal year.

One nomination for the position of Mayor had been received:

“That Councillor Ismail be elected Chair of the Rotherham Borough Council for the ensuing (2025/26) Municipal Year and that she be entitled to the style of Mayor by virtue of Section 245(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.”

Resolved: That Councillor Rukhsana Ismail be elected Chairman of the Rotherham Borough Council for the ensuing Municipal Year and that she be entitled to the style of Mayor by virtue of Section 245(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Mover: Councillor Read                          Seconder: Councillor Cusworth

Councillor Ismail thereupon made and subscribed the statutory declaration of acceptance of office.

(Councillor Ismail assumed the Chair)

A motion for a vote of thanks to the retiring Mayor has been received:

That the Council tender its sincere thanks to Councillor Sheila Cowen for the excellent manner in which she has carried out all his duties as Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham. And that the best thanks of this Council be recorded for the kind and admirable way in which Councillor Rajmund Brent performed the duties of Mayor’s Consort.

Resolved: That the Council tender its sincere thanks to Councillor Sheila Cowen for the excellent manner in which she has carried out all her duties as Mayor of the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham. And that the best thanks of this Council be recorded for the kind and admirable way in which Councillor Rajmund Brent performed the duties of Mayor’s Consort.

Mover: Councillor Steele              Seconder: Councillor Jackson

The new Mayor to formally present the retiring Mayor and Mayor’s Consort with their past Mayor’s pendants.

The Mayor asked the Council to join her in offering her sincere thanks to Councillor Sheila Cowen for the excellent manner in which she had carried out all of her duties as Mayor and formally presented her and her Consort with their past Mayor’s pendants.

To elect a Deputy-Mayor and Vice-Chair of the Council for the 2025-26 municipal year.

One nomination for the position of Deputy-Mayor had been received:

That Councillor Rashid be elected Vice-Chair of the Rotherham Borough Council for the ensuing (2025/26) Municipal Year and that he be entitled to the style of Deputy Mayor by virtue of Section 245(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Resolved: That Councillor Haroon Rashid be elected Vice-Chairman of the Rotherham Borough Council for the ensuing Municipal Year and that she be entitled to the style of Deputy Mayor by virtue of Section 245(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Mover: Councillor Steele              Seconder: Councillor Ahmed

To receive the apologies of any Member who is unable to attend the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors Alam, Ball, A. Carter, C. Carter, Hall, Havard, Lelliott, Mault, Sheppard and Thorp.

To invite Councillors to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests they may have in any matter which is to be considered at this meeting, to confirm the nature of those interests and whether they intend to leave the meeting for the consideration of the item.

There were no declarations of interest to record.

To note the appointment of the Mayor’s Cadets for the 2025-26 municipal year.

The Mayor formally announced the names of the Mayor’s Cadets for the Municipal Year 2025/26 to the Council:

          Representing the Royal Air Force Air Cadets was:

Sergeant George Newey

Representing the Army Cadets was:

Corporal Nicolas Wisniewski

Representing the Sea Cadets was:

          Ordinary Cadet Henry David Aubeeluck

The Mayor invited Sergeant Newey and Ordinary Cadet Aubeeluck forward to receive their Mayor’s Cadet badges and certificates. Corporal Wisniewski could not attend due to exams.

Any other public items which the Mayor determines are urgent.

There were no urgent items to consider.