MEET THE BOARD

Anita Heaton
(Chair and Leasehold Representative)

My profession is Stop Smoking Specialist, Routine and Manual Workers and Young People’s Lead within Rotherham Primary Care Trust. Although I was born is Sheffield I have lived in Rotherham for over 25 years.

I have always had a strong commitment to the communities within Rotherham, As a volunteer I have taught Basic Skills and have been involved in several voluntary organisations over the past 20 years and hopefully will continue to contribute to the development of Rotherham for some years to come.

John Lewis
(Vice Chair)

By profession I am an economist and teacher, having graduated from LSE and completed by PGCE at Hull. I spent 7 years at Scunthorpe Borough Council latterly as Head of Economic Development.
I moved to Rotherham in 1993 to join Rotherham Training and Enterprise Council as Head of Regeneration and Partnerships. The TEC merged with Rotherham Chamber of Commerce to become Rotherham CCTE in 1997.
In 2001 I became Chief Executive of Rotherham Chamber of Commerce and in August 2007 Chief Executive of Chamber of Commerce (Barnsley and Rotherham) Limited on the merger of the two Chambers.

Almas Abbasi

I started my career in Rotherham in 1976 as Communty Relations officer with Rotherham Community Relations Council. I became Director of Rotherham Racial Equality Council in 1987 and retired in 2002.
I have served on various school governing bodies and also seved on the on South Yorkshire Probation Board from 2002 to 2007.
I have Law degree from Pakistan and Masters in Sociology from Sheffield Hallam University.

Jane Austen

I have represented the former Aston, Orgreave and Ulley and current Holderness ward on Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council since September 2000. Until 2005 I was a lecturer at Rother Valley College but over the years I have been involved with many local voluntary bodies including school governing bodies. I am currently secretary of the local Labour Party and am an Aston-cum-Aughton Parish Councillor.
On the Council I am Vice Chair Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel and I am currently involved in: Rother Valley West Area Assembly, Co-ordinating Group and Neighbourhood Action Group; Joint Parish Working Group; Tourism Panel; Member Development and Training Panel. I have been a Council appointed director of 2010 Rotherham Ltd since the company's formation and currently chair the Sustainable Communities Committee.

Tony Billingham

Born in Sheffield, my parents originated from Rotherham and Sheffield. I also have a number of relatives who still live in Rotherham.
I now live in a small village in Derbyshire working as a local Magistrate with my wife and two children.
My career started as an apprentice plumber with Sheffield MBC. I completed my apprenticeship and worked as a plumber with on projects such as new buildings, improvement projects, and day-to-day repairs. I left Sheffield MBC in 1987 and moved to work for Derby City Council as an Area Property Surveyor progressing to an Assistant Maintenance Manager.
In 2002 Derby Homes Limited was established and I became Programme Maintenance Manager for the organisation.

Liz Booth

Liz is the founder member from the Rotherham Housing Futures Group and was re-elected in 2006 with a 4000+ majority.
Liz is treasurer of the Rotherham Health Network, Secretary of the Rotherham Transport Users Group and a member of the South Yorkshire Passenger Users Group.
She is a fellow of the Millennium Commission, director of the Rawmarsh High Street Centre and a coordinating member of the Wentworth South Area Assembly. She has always strongly supported Adult Learning and has attended many courses in community initiatives.

Gaetano Demartino

I began my career in the United States Army as a Combat Engineer. After the Army I worked in Mechanics, Retail, Customer Service, Sales, ICT and Local Government.
I am currently a Development Officer and Health and Safety Advisor for the Rotherham Community Learning and Wellbeing Service.
I am involved in RMBC’s Corporate and Children and Young People’s Services Health and Safety Groups advising on the strategic direction of the council’s policies and procedures and helping to influence the health and safety culture of the council.

Barry Dodson

Councillor Dodson has been a member of the Council since 2000 and is Chair of the Rotherham South Area Assembly, Vice-Chair of the Planning Board and a member of the Licensing Board, the Democratic Renewal and Children and Young People's Services Scrutiny Panels.

Margaret Hartley (Tenant Representative)

I have been a Tenant Director on the 2010 Board since August 2007. I find the role challenging but very satisfying. I am the Secretary of the Aston TARA, and Vice-Chair of the Area Housing Panel. I also sit on the co-ordinating group of Rother Valley West Area Assembly. I have been actively involved in the Labour Movement for over 40 years. I am particularly keen to work with other organisations within Rotherham.

Neil License

Councillor License has been a member of the Council since 2000 and is a member of the Audit Committee, Planning Board and of the Children and Young People's Services Scrutiny Panel.

Reg Littleboy

I have been a Councillor in Rotherham since 1988 and served as Chair of Libraries Museums and Arts and the Culture and Leisure Services Board.

At this time I was responsible for bringing in changes to the senior museums staff and leading Rotherham in becoming one of the first Local Authorities to adopt a Cultural Strategy.

Since election to the council I have been a member of the Planning Board. I am Senior Policy Advisor to the Leader and Deputy Leader which covers the Culture and Leisure Services. A member of South Yorkshire Police Authority and its Vice Chairman. Secretary of a 54 member Labour Group at Rotherham MBC.

I joined the board of 2010 Rotherham Ltd in July 2006.

Victoria Penman

Having been brought up in Jersey, I have lived in South Yorkshire for the past ten years.
Professionally, I am currently Strategic Policy and Research Co-ordinator for Wakefield Council. I also have a background in law (with an LLB (Hons) from the University of Sheffield and have worked both in legal research at the same university and as an Assistant Legal Adviser for the States of Jersey) and experience in a variety of roles within local government, including in housing strategy and the management of a programme supporting disabled people to find employment. I also have a Postgraduate Diploma in Local Government Management from Warwick Business School.

Pat Cahill (Tenant Representative)

I have been a tenant for the last 25 years. For the last five and a half years, I have worked closely with Age Concern and Help the Aged as a volunteer. Over the last 12 months, I have helped as technical consultant, using my late working skills as a cameraman and sound engineer, with a reminiscences project, featuring the lives of men and women between the years 1939 and 1950, which among other things will be used as a teaching aid in schools. I was also a member of the original Public Members Board of Governors of the Rotherham General Hospital Foundation Trust.

Bob Brown (Tenant Representative)

I’m recently retired and live in Aston with my wife, Sue. I have spent much of my working life in various Civil Service departments and although born in Maltby my work has taken me to many different places in the UK and abroad. Happily I came back “home” about 10 years ago. I have experience of serving on committees and pressure groups at both local and national level. 

Simon Currie