Rotherham, United Kingdom’s council has named Rukhsana Ismail as the borough’s new mayor for the 2025–2026 term. Ismail, who had been serving as deputy mayor, officially took on the ceremonial post at the council’s annual meeting earlier this week. She was selected by council members, not elected by a public vote, according to the Rotherham Advertiser.

Rotherham is the home of what has been described as the "biggest child protection scandal in UK history," the Guadian reported. For decades, group-based child sexual exploitation damaged an estimated 1,400 girls. The grooming was at the hands of predominantly British Pakistani men.

The mayor’s position is a non-political role focused on civic representation, community engagement, and promoting local pride. In this capacity, the mayor acts as the borough’s First Citizen, chairing council meetings and attending a wide range of public events, including charity fundraisers, school visits, cultural programs, and official commemorations.

Ismail currently represents the Rotherham East ward and has served on the council since 2021. She has been involved in several community boards and advisory groups, including the health select commission, the Rotherham SACRE (Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education), the Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance Board, and the National Association of Councilors.

Councilor Rukhsana Ismail officially became the 120th Mayor of Rotherham during the ceremonial meeting. Reflecting on her new role, she said: “This is a huge honor and responsibility."

“Being Mayor of Rotherham is not just a role – it’s a platform to champion the people, communities, and causes that make our borough special. I want to inspire others, especially young women and girls, to believe in themselves and know that anything is possible. If I can achieve this, so can they," she said.

During her term, Ismail says she will support four charities to reflect different aspects of the borough’s community. These include Rotherham Hospice Trust, Age UK Rotherham, Sense Rotherham—which assists individuals with complex communication needs—and Anna Haq, a charity that helps BME women and girls affected by violence.

The history of the grooming gangs in the town Ismail will be over was revealed in detail following several reports of abuse in the area in the early 2000s. British academic Alexis Jay led an independent inquiry which found that local authorities had failed dozens of young girls. The report, known as the Jay report, found that girls would be regularly taken into taxis and raped, forced to watch rapes, and were trafficked to other towns. What resulted were several pregnancies, miscarriages, and abortions.

Just last year, seven men were jailed for committing child sex abuse offences against two young girls in Rotherham during the 2000s, as fallout from the massive child sex abuse scandal continues.

The Crown Prosecution Service prosecuted Mohammed Amar, 42, Mohammed Siyab, 44, Yasser Ajaibe, 39, Mohammed Zameer Sadiq, 49, Abid Saddiq, 43, Tahir Yassin, 38, and Ramin Bari, 37, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency as part of Operation Stovewood.

Most victims were white Britons, though many were British-Pakistani or other types of British Asian. Failure to address the abuse was linked to fear of being accused of racism due to the perpetrators British Pakistani origins.