Hillsborough Councillor elected as new Sheffield Labour Group leader

Bob Johnson has been elected as the Leader of Sheffield City Council Labour Group at a meeting of the group this week.

Two weeks ago, Julie Dore announced that she would be standing down as Leader ahead of her retirement as a councillor in May, after leading the Labour Group since 2010 and being Leader of Sheffield City Council since 2011.

Councillor Johnson has served as a Councillor for the Hillsborough ward, where he lives, since 2011, and as Cabinet Member for Transport and Development since May 2019. In this time he has worked on the development of a new local plan which proposes the regeneration of Sheffield city centre and to protect the city’s green belt from development.

Councillor Johnson will replace Councillor Dore as Leader of Sheffield City Council at the next Full Council meeting which will be held on Wednesday January 6.

Councillor Bob Johnson, said: “It is an unbelievable honour to be elected as Leader of the Labour Group and I would like to thank my colleagues for putting their trust in me. I am Sheffield born and bred and am passionate about our city delivering on the huge potential we have.

“I would like to pay tribute to Julie who has led the city through one of the most challenging times in our history, dealing with a decade of austerity and the pandemic over the past year. She should be provide of everything she has achieved as she retires from office in May.

“Now is a crucial time and as a city we face enormous challenges with the ongoing pandemic, as we continue to fight this virus and the long term economic and social impact.

“I am determined that we continue to take decisive action to protect our city through the next stages of this pandemic. Whether this be action to work with local businesses and trade unions to protect jobs and livelihoods, whether it be with our schools and young people about the impact that the crisis will have on their futures, whether it be continuing to support our communities in times of hardship and valuing and recognising our carers for everything they have done.

“We will only address these challenges by coming together and that is what I want to do. I know there is so much collective passion for Sheffield and will for us to succeed and I want to utilise all of this for the benefit of our city.

“This will be a time of change for the council not only in the political leadership but the new year will see the start of a new Chief Executive which is a real opportunity for a fresh approach and new ways of doing things, thinking outside the box. I look forward to working with everyone to tackle these challenges together for Sheffield.”