Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Chief Executive Sharon Kemp has been awarded an OBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list, for her services to business and to the community in Rotherham and South Yorkshire.
She is one of a number of people recognised by the King for their extraordinary contributions and service. The honour comes following 30 years of public service across community safety, neighbourhood management, community cohesion, performance management, and partnerships.
Joining Rotherham Council in 2016 as part of a whole new senior leadership team brought in under Government appointed Commissioners, Sharon led the organisation on an improvement journey which saw its Children and Young People’s Services first being rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted in 2017 and the organisation come out of special measures and intervention in 2018.
The Council was recognised as the 'Most Improved Council' in the country at the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards in 2022, followed by an LGA peer review which described the Council as ‘an impressive organisation which serves the town well’ in 2023.
Sharon was appointed Transformation Commissioner for Nottingham City Council in May this year, whilst continuing to serve the people of Rotherham in her role as Chief Executive of the Council.
Sharon said: “This is an incredible honour, and I will be accepting in recognition of the Council, the borough, and all councillors, colleagues, partners and communities that work together to make Rotherham the amazing place it is.
“It is a privilege to do this job and to be part of such a dedicated team. I have had the honour of working with Cllr Chris Read as Leader of the Council, in driving forward the improvement of the Council and want to take this opportunity to thank those past and present who have not only supported the Council’s journey so far but continue to work together to create an even better future for Rotherham and the wider region.”
Cllr Chris Read, Leader of Rotherham Council said: “Sharon has been central to the Council’s improvement journey over the past eight years and her energy, drive and unrelenting focus on delivering the best services possible for the people of Rotherham has been evident throughout our work together. She has played a key role in developing and improving partnerships across the borough and South Yorkshire, increasing collaboration and maximising opportunities for the area.
“As we continue to tackle the challenges facing our borough over the coming months and years, Sharon’s steadfast commitment to good quality public services and to our communities will continue to drive further success.”