Ben was first elected to represent Park & Arbourthorne on Sheffield City Council in May 2016. He is a Labour & Co-operative Councillor and currently serves as Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee and Deputy Leader of the Labour Group on Sheffield City Council. In these roles, Ben has led the city’s work to bring buses back into public control, secured major investment in active travel infrastructure, and championed regeneration projects that support local high streets and create more liveable, people-friendly places.

Ben is also a secondary school teacher and a proud member of the National Education Union (NEU). He told The Guardian in 2013 that he ‘joined the profession and became a teacher to change the world’ and still teaches in a local secondary school.

Born and raised in South Yorkshire, Ben is the grandson of a miner from Maltby Colliery in Rotherham. He was the first in his family to attend university, studying Politics and International Relations at Lancaster University before completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). He is also a national advocate for high-quality Citizenship Education through his involvement with the Association for Citizenship Teaching (ACT), ensuring that every child has a right to good quality education about our democracy.

Ben has a strong track record of standing up for human rights. He has worked closely with the Hong Kong community in Sheffield to defend their democratic freedoms and has spoken out to raise awareness of the Uyghur genocide.

Locally, Ben has helped deliver new play areas, road safety improvements near schools, and investment in parks and green spaces across Arbourthorne, Norfolk Park, Heeley Green, Gleadless Common and Gleadless Townend. He plays an active role in the community, working with residents, schools, and local organisations to tackle issues like anti-social behaviour, poor housing conditions, and traffic congestion. He holds regular advice surgeries and is always available by phone or email.