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WORLD MAYOR 2018
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FRONT PAGE About World Mayor City Mayors Foundation    WORLD MAYOR 2018 • Results 2018 • Project 2018 • Shortlist 2018 • Longlist 2018 • Raison d'être • World Mayor history • World Mayor Prize • Code of Ethics • Criteria • Meet the Press INTERVIEWS WITH • Mayor of Ancona • Mayor of Doncaster • Mayor of Rennes • Mayor of Zamboanga ESSAYS BY • Mayor of Ancona • Mayor of Cologne • Mayor of Doncaster • Mayor of Fort Worth • Mayor of Lille • Mayor of Paris • Mayor of Rennes • Mayor of Saarbrücken • Mayor of Trbovlje • Mayor of Tunis • Mayor of Zamboanga TESTIMONIALS • Mayor of Alphen / Rijn • Mayor of Ancona • Mayor of Baden-Baden • Mayor of Calais • Mayor of Chemnitz • Mayor of Cologne • Mayor of Cozumel • Mayor of Doncaster • Mayor of Fort Worth • Mayor of Grand Rapids • Mayor of Lille • Mayor of Lodz • Mayor of Molenbeek • Mayor of Narayanganj • Mayor of Oakland • Mayor of Omaha • Mayor of Paris • Mayor of Rennes • Mayor of Reutlingen • Mayor of Saarbrücken • Mayor of San Juan • Mayor of Trbovlje • Mayor of Tunis • Mayor of Zamboanga • Mayor of Zurich PROFILES OF • Mayor of Ancona • Mayor of Cologne • Mayor of Doncaster • Mayor of Fort Worth • Mayor of Lille • Mayor of Paris • Mayor of Rennes • Mayor of Saarbrücken • Mayor of Trbovlje • Mayor of Tunis • Mayor of Zamboanga WORLD MAYOR 2016 WORLD MAYOR 2014 WORLD MAYOR 2012 WORLD MAYOR 2010 WORLD MAYOR 2008 WORLD MAYOR 2006 WORLD MAYOR 2005 WORLD MAYOR 2004 |
 Ros JonesMayor of Doncaster, UK Awarded the 2018 World Mayor Commendation 12 February 2019: Ros Jones has been mayor of Doncaster (population 305,000) in since 2013. She was re-elected for a second term in 2017. Doncaster is in the North of England within the formerly heavily industrial South Yorkshire area. When Ros Jones became the town’s mayor, the community was still suffering from the effects of earlier closures of surrounding coalmines and losses in manufacturing. The local authority itself was also in crisis with the National Government having had to intervene due to failing services. Mayor Jones, with skill and style, set about changing the course of Doncaster, which is the largest community in the UK not to have official city status. With partners, she has spread innovation and brought back manufacturing jobs and businesses whilst also enhancing education and preparing young people for the modern economy. The mayor worked for thirty years in the public sector as an accountant and as a manager, and has been a member of Doncaster Council, representing Labour, since 2006. As a consequence of the losses of traditional well-paid work, confidence amongst residents was low as was trust in politicians when Ros Jones was first elected. She won by a narrow margin on second preference votes but her efforts in her first four-year term were rewarded when she was re-elected by a majority of more than 19,000 votes in 2017. Notable successes have included securing one of only two National Colleges of High Speed Rail for the town. This has led to a broader revival of rail engineering in the town with some companies moving back having previously left and with growth also in modern logistics and inland port activity, Doncaster’s employment levels have reached record highs. Ros Jones has worked closely with the business community to secure inward investments and to position the town as an attractive location for new and emerging businesses as well as local start-ups. In her World Mayor essay, the Mayor writes: “We find the best way of convincing investors that our town is the place to be is by persuading them to visit. This allows them to see for themselves the developments taking place here – ‘seeing is believing.’ “ Mayor Jones, along with Chief Executive Jo Miller, the UK’s only female mayor/chief executive duo, led the local authority out of crisis and provided politicians, managers and staff with necessary confidence and empowerment. Doncaster will shortly house a University Technical College which will teach more local young people science related subjects and allow them to gain advanced engineering and digital design skills. Ros Jones is passionate about more girls making careers in engineering. Education innovations include support for a Primary Engineers Initiative for 7 – 11 year olds. The Mayor writes in her essay “I hope our legacy can ensure that daughters of Doncaster know that there is no door they cannot walk through, nothing they cannot achieve and no height they should not rise to.” Extract from Mayor Jones’ essay: I think we can all agree that across the whole world, we are living through unprecedented times, where the pace of economic, technological and societal advancement is relentless, but where we know there are too many people being left behind – disenfranchised, locked out from opportunity. We have seen that this has created space for extreme voices - populist and often persuasive to those who feel under served. In the worst excesses this has caused deep division, unrest and warfare - placing people in grave danger, driving movement across borders – changing dynamics everywhere. In less extreme cases, there are many countries and places where too many people have felt inclined to follow political and economic alternatives at a national or local level that are altogether uncertain – seemingly with a mind-set of ‘how can it be worse?’ Tackling this apathy and mistrust is, I believe, the political challenge of our times and, for any Mayor in the World, at the heart of our missions. MORE Typical tribute: Ros Jones has worked tirelessly to serve Doncaster and its people. She has served in very difficult economic times and had to make difficult decisions, which she has with integrity and honesty. She has been a very positive role model for women and there has been an increase in women managers during her time in post. During her service she lost her husband and has still managed to perform her role and serve her town. She is a popular Mayor and has really helped place Doncaster on the map and promoted Investment in the area. Ros definitely deserves the honour of becoming the “World's Greatest Woman Mayor. MORE Further reading ESSAY | TRIBUTES | INTERVIEW |