The Worshipful The Civic Mayor of Tameside 2023-24

Councillor Tafheen Sharif

CLLR Tafheen Sharif is the first Muslim and ethnic minority person to be appointed civic mayor of Tameside since the borough was created on April 1, 1974.
 
She has represented the authority’s Mossley ward since 2016 and is chair of the children’s scrutiny panel and a member of the overview panel, speaker’s panel (licensing) and the east strategic neighbourhood forum.
 
Cllr Sharif, holds a legal honours degree and works in the courts service.  She is a justice of the peace, a school governor and a charity trustee.
 
From 2011 to 2015 she was a member of Luton Council where she served as executive member for community safety and received national recognition for her work as LGIU (Local Government Information Unit) Young Councillor of the Year.
 
She was deputy police and crime commissioner for Bedfordshire from 2012 to 2014.
 
Cllr Sharif’s interests include spending time with her family, which includes four children, walking, reading, and listening to motivational podcasts.  Her husband, Dr Faisal Parvez, is supporting her as mayor’s consort.
 
The Civic Mayor’s chosen charities are Home-Start, which helps young and vulnerable families; We Shall Overcome charity for the homeless, and West African Development which supports Tameside’s ethnic minorities.

Civic Mayor

The Civic Mayor, and in his/her absence, the Deputy Mayor, preside over the first and opening part of each Council meeting.

The Civic Mayor and Deputy Mayor will be elected by the Council annually. The Civic Mayor will have the following responsibilities:-

1. to uphold and promote the purposes of the Constitution, and to interpret the Constitution when necessary;
2. to promote public involvement in the Council’s activities;
3. to be the conscience of the Council;
4. as the first citizen of Tameside to deal with his/her ambassadorial role both inside and outside the Borough;
5. to chair Civic Council meetings including a mid term Civic Council Meeting to present the State of the Borough address in relation to his/her duties;
6. together with the members of the Civic Panel, to market Tameside in a positive manner; and
7. to attend such civic and ceremonial functions as the Council or (s)he determines appropriate.