Row over Rotherham Conservative’s deputy mayor nomination

During the last full council meeting on April 13, Leader of the Conservatives coun Simon Ball nominated coun Adam Tinsley as deputy mayor, to serve alongside Labour’s mayor for the coming municipal year.

Coun Ball told the meeting that coun Tinsley is “one of the hardest working councillors in this chamber”, and praised him for “going out of his way to help anyone in need”.

Coun Zachary Collingham said the role “should be above party politics,” and “should not be the preserve of the governing party”.

Coun Timothy Baum Dixon supported the nomination, adding: “We have almost a one party state in Rotherham, so unfortunately the numbers are never on our side.”

Several Conservative councillors spoke to back the nomination, but Labour councillors backed coun Sheila Cowen as deputy mayor instead.

Labour councillor Alan Atkin told the meeting he could not back a Conservative deputy mayor, as “last year, we saw all the Conservatives sit on their hands when councillor Taylor was put forward by us”.

Liberal Democrat councillor Drew Tarmey said there had been "political mud-slinging," and accused "councillors behind me" of "mouthing under their breath cowards".

Coun Rachel Hughes said that she was “surprised that the opposition of all colours have said this is a non-political post…and then one by one stood up and made political arguments.

Following a vote, coun Taylor is now the mayor-elect and coun Cowan is the deputy mayor elect.

They will officially take up their roles at the council’s annual general meeting next month.