Mayor of Rotherham – Councillor Rukhsana Ismail

Throughout her term, the
Mayor will place the Rotherham
community at the heart of
everything she does. She says her
role as first Citizen of
Rotherham is ‘a very big
responsibility and an honour’
she is very excited to get started.
Although she was born in
Sheffield, the Mayor moved with
her family to Birmingham when
she was very young. When she
got married, she moved back to
South Yorkshire. She settled in a
tight-knit community before
moving from Sheffield to
Rotherham with her young
family in 2010.
The Mayor is driven by her desire
to set high standards and to be a
role model for her three
daughters and to give them the
tools to create a successful life for
themselves, instilling a positive
can do attitude. Inspiring the
wider community is also at the
forefront of the Mayor’s thinking.
The Mayor returned to
education, first going back to
college to complete her GCSEs
and then her A Levels. At the
same time, she started
volunteering for a domestic abuse
and human trafficking charity in
Sheffield. Once she completed
her A Levels, she started working
as a caseworker and from there
she rose through the ranks, soon
becoming a co-ordinator, then
manager and head of
safeguarding before becoming the
Chief Executive Officer of a
charity in Nottinghamshire.
The Mayor is passionate about
supporting her community
which is why she also undertakes
a range of other roles including
being a Magistrate and chairing
the South Yorkshire’s
Community Foundation Panel
for Rotherham. She also serves as
vice chair for Unison, Sheffield
Branch and is a trustee for
Rotherham Age UK, Rotherham
Hospice and South Yorkshire
Eating Disorder Association and
also sits on various community
groups and panels.
“If you had told me 10 to 15 years
ago that I’d become a Councillor, a
Magistrate, a Chief Executive
Officer or even the Mayor, I’d say
‘carry on dreaming’. If I can do all
of that, I think anyone can. You
just have to believe in yourself. It’s
the dedication that makes you able
to achieve anything, and giving
back to the community that means
more than anything else.”
The Mayor is looking forward to
meeting people who work in the
community to provide support
and care for those who need it
most. “What I’m also super excited
about is my daughter being my
Mayoress!” she said.
The Mayor will be supporting
four charities: The Rotherham
Hospice Trust, Age UK
Rotherham, Sense Rotherham
and Apna Haq in 2025-2026.
As Mayor, I have chosen these
charities because together they
represent the heart of our
community – caring for people at
every stage of life and in times of
greatest need. From providing
end-of-life care and supporting
our older residents, to
championing the rights of those
with complex needs and
protecting vulnerable women and
girls. These charities reflect the
compassion, strength, and
diversity of Rotherham.