Rotherham Council leader announces cabinet with two new councillors

The full council elects a leader who appoints and chairs the cabinet.

Each cabinet member has a specific area of responsibility, and the cabinet meets every other week to make decisions about budgets, anything that will result in income, expenditure or savings of £400,000 or more, or have a significant effect on two or more wards.

Former mayor of Rotherham, councillor Robert Taylor, has been selected to oversee transport, jobs and the local economy, which was previously held by councillor Dominic Beck.

Councillor Joanna Baker-Rogers will take responsibility for supporting adult social care and health, which was left vacant after councillor David Roche retired at May’s election.

Councillor David Sheppard will be Cllr Read’s deputy leader, and take responsibility for social inclusion and neighbourhood working.

Councillor Saghir Alam will take on additional responsibilities as cabinet member for finance and safe and clean communities.

Councillor Sarah Allen will return as the cabinet member for Housing, and councillor Victoria Cusworth will remain responsible for the council’s children and young people’s services.

At last week’s full council meeting, Cllr Read told councillors that: “Working together, along with our colleagues in the council chamber, we will fulfil our commitments to invest in our roads and public spaces, our high streets and communities, to build a more inclusive economy where we help bring more people back into work or training, and build hundreds more warm, safe and affordable council homes”