News: SCR shortlisted for much-needed transport cash

The Sheffield City Region (SCR) is one of ten areas in the UK to be shortlisted for a share of Government money to transform the way people travel.

A £1.7 billion Transforming Cities Fund was announced in the Autumn Budget 2017. The majority of the fund, to improve local transport connections, was divvied up to regions which had elected mayors, for them to control and spend as they see fit. As the SCR did not have an elected mayor at the time, the combined authority has had to bid into the remaining funds to get the cash to back its new transport strategy.

The remaining £840m looks set to be divided between the ten areas.

At the heart of the SCR bid, which is supported by all four local councils, is the proposal to develop a new Global Innovation Corridor that stretches across the region, linking people to key sites including Sheffield city centre, Doncaster Sheffield Airport, the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham and Barnsley's Digital Campus.

In addition, the bid seeks to improve connectivity for communities and businesses across the Dearne Valley.

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Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority has previously stated that the bid was for £100m and has described the SCR as having an "antiquated transport system that is chronically short of investment and that doesn’t move the residents or businesses around the region as it should."

Jarvis said: "I welcome this announcement from the Government, which reflects the strength of our bid to the Transforming Cities Fund.

"It is critical that we improve the transport system in our region, to create better access to major employment sites, reduce congestion and better integrate different modes of transport.

"Our proposal to develop a Global Innovation Corridor which connects residents and businesses to our internationally-significant assets will help to achieve that, and grow our economy.

"I now look forward to working with the Department for Transport as we develop our detailed plans."

An initial £50,000 is being provided as well as bespoke support from government to co-develop the strongest cases for investment.

A transport strategy is being drafted and the SCR is pushing for a new mass transit system to support growth.

If secured, the funding would pay for transformational transport changes in these areas, including bus priority improvements, enabling active travel, providing transport hubs, introducing smart ticketing, new park and ride sites, and much more. This would lead to quicker journey times, reduced congestion, improved punctuality and reliability, and benefits associated with active travel, such as improved health and wellbeing.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "Rotherham's ambition is to create the right conditions for growth and regeneration.

"As Yorkshire's fastest growing-city economy, and UK's tenth fastest growing economy, we are working closely with our neighbours to ensure a strong transport, digital and environmental infrastructure supports further economic growth for the region."

SCR website

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News: MetLase boosted by Boeing link up

MetLase is expecting to increase its Rotherham workforce having been confirmed as Boeing Sheffield's tooling and fixturing partner.

Rothbiz reported last week that a number of local companies had been signed up by the US aerospace giant to supply its new Sheffield facility that is set to open later this year.

MetLase is a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and the Unipart Group is a mechanical engineering consultancy that specialises in increasing productivity by designing and manufacturing complex tooling, fixturing and components for a wide range of industries, often bringing lead times of months down to just days.

Taking space in the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) Technology Centre in Rotherham, the rapidly-growing company is initially focused on aerospace, automotive, motorsport and the medical market sector.

MetLase said that it will initially increase the workforce by 15% on the back of the Boeing deal.

The company will use its 3D design capabilities, high precision laser-cutting technology and patented assembly and joining systems to create lightweight and optimised machining fixtures that will precisely hold 11 different castings used in the production of actuation system components for the 737, 767 and 777 passenger jets.

The contract with Boeing is the latest in a line of new business wins that include strategic partnerships with blue chip companies - marking a 70% annual increase in sales.

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Steve Dunn, managing director at MetLase (pictured, second left), said: "The long-term agreement with Boeing marks a new chapter for our business, as it will enable us to become an integral part of its future plans to develop intelligent and connected fixturing and tooling solutions.

"Our unique approach and technology will see us produce optimised fixtures that are lighter than traditional alternatives, can be produced in weeks as opposed to months and, importantly, through our design iteration service, can be continually improved to deliver the best possible performance.

Liberty Speciality Steels, Maher, Nikken, Aeromet International Ltd and Mettis Aerospace have also been named on the supply chain. The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has also been key to Boeing selecting a site on the Sheffield Business Park for its first European factory.

Dunn added: "This contract is an ideal way to celebrate our third birthday and is also excellent news for the region, with two other local companies – Maher Ltd and Nikken – also being awarded contracts.

"Strategic supply chain relationships are very important to Boeing and, from the outset, we have been working closely with other suppliers to build partnerships and explore ways where we can harness our collective expertise to offer new solutions."

MetLase, which employs 25 people at its 12,500 sq ft state-of the-art facility, is due to start delivering the first fixtures this week as part of a three-year contract.

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Richard Gould, sales manager at MetLase (pictured, far right), said: "Our standardised design and development process and unique joining and assembly techniques mean we only use the exact amount of material needed, ensuring we can deliver fixtures quicker and more cost effectively than our rivals.

"This is the first stage of what Boeing wanted. The next phase is to develop intelligent fixtures that provide real time data on performance and will either alert engineers if an issue arises or correct it automatically.

"Industry 4.0, big data and smart manufacturing is crucial to the success of global manufacturing. Our aim is to create an intelligent fixturing system that tells the next production stage in the process exactly what has happened before."

MetLase website

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News: AESSEAL named "Business of Trust Champion"

Innovative Rotherham manufacturer AESSEAL is celebrating success in the capital, picking up a special award at the Lord Mayor's Dragon Awards 2018.

With its global headquarters at Templeborough, the £170m turnover company manufactures mechanical seals for a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, food, water, mining and pharmaceuticals.

AESSEL was named the inaugural Business of Trust Champion - a new award launched by the Lord Mayor of London, Charles Bowman, to reflect the theme of his year in office.

The company was selected from a prestigious shortlist which included a global investment management corporation, international communications company and a major retail bank.

The award recognises companies which are helping to create "a lasting legacy of better business trusted by the community."

Chris Rea, managing director of AESSEAL (pictured, left), said: "Our company ethos since 1979 has been to develop, support and value our staff, from our newest apprentices to our world-class engineers and innovators.

"The trust placed in us by our customers was recently recognised with a score of 87.5 out of 100 in the UK's largest independent customer satisfaction survey (UKCSI).

"We provide a powerful role model, particularly to younger companies and SMEs, by sharing the AESSEAL story of integrity, ethics and care for its people and the wider community.

"I am particularly delighted to see the efforts of my brilliant colleagues rewarded by being named Business of Trust Champion, as all the other finalists are such high calibre businesses."

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Lord Mayor Charles Bowman (pictured, centre), added: "We live in a world where trust is low, but expectations are high. Business has a key role to play in bridging this divide.

"Companies can make a tremendous difference by identifying gaps, pioneering new policies, and working with underrepresented groups – or, simply, by giving whatever money, time, or skills they can. This year's well deserving Dragon Awards winners have done just this.

"These firms are working hard to make a difference in a huge range of areas, from promoting social mobility in the workplace to supporting and attracting new young talent to industries with skills shortages.

"We need to recognise and celebrate the innovative work that firms are doing within their responsible business initiatives. It's no longer simply about engaging with local communities. It is about benefitting workforces and creating a better and fairer society."

AESSEAL employs 1,675 people across the globe, including 370 in Yorkshire. It is taking on another 40 apprentices this year.

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News: Origin has an appetite for fund-raising

Rotherham-based Origin Broadband has raised over £2,200 in six months for their chosen charity, Ataxia UK.

Hosting the sixth largest broadband network in the UK, the fast-growing provider has attracted significant investment, allowing Origin to move its head office from two sites in Doncaster to a single, larger base in Manvers.

Ataxia UK is the leading national charity in the UK for people affected by any type of ataxia - an umbrella term for a group of neurological disorders that affect balance, coordination and speech.

Since the beginning of April, colleagues have raised money by starting their own tuck shop, hosting bake sales and running other events such as a Man V Food challenge and sweepstakes for the World Cup and Grand National.

Earlier in the year, everyone at Origin put their chosen charities to vote and Ataxia won their hearts. Helen Carling, head of marketing at Origin Broadband, has a daughter called Izzy who is 11 years old and suffers with Friedreich's Ataxia which is a genetic form of Ataxia. Origin's goal was to raise £1,200 to help fund a full-time junior researcher for a month, to help Izzy and other children who are living with this condition. Origin nearly doubled its target by raising over £2,200 for the cause.

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Steph Marley, communications manager at Ataxia UK said: "The £2,200 from our friends at Origin will not only allow us to fund a junior researcher for one month, getting us ever closer to finding a cure for ataxia, but will help run our helpline to help provide advice and information. We receive no government funding and our income mainly comes from people who donate and raise money, just like Origin have. We can't thank them enough for the time and energy they've given to raise money for Ataxia UK."

Oliver Bryssau, CEO of Origin, added: "I want to thank everyone at Origin for their generosity and their time raising money for Ataxia UK. It's been amazing to work with such a great charity who have helped support us during our fundraising."

Origin website
Ataxia UK website

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News: Café plan for historic high street building

A former department store could be set for a new lease of life under new plans to open a café / bar on Rotherham's historic high street.

Rothbiz reported in January that a prominent Grade II listed building in Rotherham town centre had gone up for sale, offering a redevelopment opportunity between the award-winning High Street and Rotherham Minster.

Now plans have been submitted that would allow part of the former John Speeds department store to be used as a community café / bar.

The 11,500 sq ft property is being advertised for sale with real estate firm, GVA and includes 18 High Street and 15 Vicarage Lane. No asking price was provided for the freehold of the property which includes retail space with offices above. It is being promoted as having redevelopment potential.

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The latest plans are for the 17,000 sq ft ground floor of 18 High Street which has remained vacant since the closure of Phoenix Enterprises.

The plans state: "We are proposing a community café / bar use. The café will be open in the day time serving hot and cold light snack/food options to the public, we will provide internet /computer access and offer a range of community groups. We propose to open some evenings as a social space and for events, we propose to serve alcohol of an evening."

An outside seating area for the café is also planned.

If plans are approved, one full time and five part time jobs could be created.

The applicant is Sue Wynne, CEO of Rotherham Rise, the local charity organisation that offers support for victims and survivors of abuse.

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A number of properties in the area, such as the former Muntus department store on the High Street and the Georgian town house opposite, have been renovated with retail space below new housing. The area was part of the £5m Townscape Heritage Initiative (THI) scheme.

The former Speeds Department Store occupied four buildings which were knocked together to form one store but were subsequently divided again to form retail units fronting both Vicarage Lane and High Street.

It was redeveloped around ten years ago when plans were approved for the ground floor of the former Rumbelows building to be converted and occupied by Phoenix Enterprises who provided delivery of a variety of programmes and initiatives to help disadvantaged groups back into employment.

The ground floor area of the building fronting the All Saints Church, formerly operated by Whitegates and the Factory Shop, was used as a recruitment agency office and also includes a community hall.

The first and second floors of the building have been used predominantly for office use.

15 Vicarage Lane is described as a fine, early nineteenth century former townhouse and is Grade II listed. It has pride of place next to the church and the revamped public space. The building is on the site of the old vicarage and excavations in the area revealed medieval deposits.

Images: GVA

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News: New CEO for Fishing Republic as it sinks to loss

Rotherham-based Fishing Republic, one of the largest fishing tackle retailers in the UK, is continuing its year of transition with the hire of a new CEO.

The Eastwood company that floated on the AIM stock exchange in 2015 has raisied millions to help carry out its expansion plans. However, turnaround plans were required during 2017 to tackle "a significant deterioration in trading."

Reporting its interim results for the six months ended June 30 2018, the company said that it is in a year of transition and that financial results "reflect the challenging period, including the very difficult trading backdrop."

Revenues of £3.4m for the period, down from £4.1m in the same period of 2017, meant that Fishing Republic posted a loss before exceptional items, interest and taxation, depreciation and amortisation of £1.4m, compared to breaking even in the same period last year.

Growth plans had been based on snapping up smaller competitors, opening destination stores and boosting online sales however, following a review, bosses closed the store in Clavering, Essex in early January 2018, and in April and May, closed four further stores, in Ipswich, Mildenhall, Swindon and Huntingdon.

Closing underperforming stores resulting in £500,000 of exceptional costs. Margins were hit by clearing old product lines and surplus stock, but there was also "downward pressure as a result of the competitive environment."

Overall store sales reduced by £0.5m to £2.7m (H1 2017: £3.2m), with like-for-like store sales decreasing by 22%, having gone up by 21% in the same period in 2017.

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Online sales over the six months decreased by £0.2m to £0.7m. A new upgraded website launched in mid-May and a new head of E-commerce is in post.

The period also saw the firm take new office space at 9 and 14 Ashley Business Court in Rotherham to act as its new administrative headquarters.

In addition to the results, it was announced that Daniel Quinn will be joining the board as CEO in October. Quinn has over 26 years' experience in the retail sector, including in senior commercial roles at Tesco, and GO Outdoors, one of the UK's largest retailers of outdoor clothing and equipment, where he was commercial director.

James Newman, chairman of Fishing Republic, said: "Fishing Republic is in a year of transition. Following a comprehensive review of the Group's operations, we have taken firm action in the first six months of the financial year to stabilise the business and to implement changes to improve its performance.

"The restructuring of the business was undertaken against very difficult trading conditions - so it has been a particularly challenging period. While the sales environment continues to be tough, with strong competitive pressures, our major shareholders have supported our plans, and we remain confident of the prospects for the business as we navigate through the current challenges.

"We are pleased to welcome Dan Quinn as Chief Executive Officer. He shares the Board's vision that there is a significant opportunity for the Group to build its presence as a multi-channel retailer of fishing tackle and equipment."

Fishing Republic website

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News: Rotherham-based entrepreneurs set to revolutionise plant science research

An innovative Rotherham start-up has filed a patent application for the manufacturing of a new breed of plant growth chamber that will revolutionise the ways in which plant science research currently takes place.

Founded by entrepreneurs Alexis Moschopoulos and Richard Banks, Swinton-based Grobotic Systems Ltd designed and manufactured the chamber which is engineered to streamline the process of growing plants under precise controlled environmental conditions for scientific experimentation.

The duo expect to launch the product to market by the end of 2018 after it has undergone rigorous testing in UK universities, facilitated by a £500 grant from UK Steel Enterprise's (UKSE's) Kickstart scheme, and upon consolidation of the results of a global market research campaign.

Comprising of a stainless-steel cabinet, LED lights and temperature and humidity control, the chamber will simulate specific environmental conditions allowing scientists to track and monitor plant growth and development to a degree that was previously limited by outdated technology.

Having met at university, both Alexis and Richard have left their careers in plant genetics and IT to launch the business and design the product which they say will be "the future of plant science and research."

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Alexis Moschopoulos PhD, managing director of Grobotic Systems (pictured, front), said: "Filing a patent is a big step forward, putting us one step closer to the launch of the product.

"Throughout my career in plant science research I've relied upon plant growth chambers and having remained largely unchanged since their first introduction in the 1960s, current models are hugely expensive, very unreliable and lack the precision needed for many types of experiments.

"After working in research laboratories in The University of Sheffield and The University of Leeds for the last five years, I decided to set up Grobotic Systems because I believe our innovative plant growth chambers will be instrumental in the progression of plant science and is a tool that will be of great benefit to the industry for years to come."

Alexis and Richard plan to launch the product in the UK initially before opening it up to the global marketplace, with plans in place to recruit further staff in engineering, manufacturing and sales following the launch of the product.

UKSE is the subsidiary of Tata Steel tasked with helping the economic regeneration of communities affected by changes in the steel industry.

Allan Wood of UKSE (pictured, back), said: "Alexis and Richard clearly have a real passion for this industry and have devised a product that when put to market will provide universities and research institutions with the capacity to improve the accuracy and efficiency of experiments and resultant data collection.

"The business appears to have good growth opportunities ahead and we hope it can quickly establish its place in the market."

Grobotic website
UKSE website

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News: Sheffield Business Park expanding into Rotherham

Plans are moving forward to expand the successful Sheffield Business Park into Rotherham, where there is the potential to create 800 more jobs.

Rothbiz has reported previously on the part of the park which actually crosses the boundary into the Rotherham local authority district and has already seen the development of The Car People and the Mercure Sheffield Parkway hotel to the East of the Europa Link.

Over the road from the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), the site of the former Sheffield airport is already home to the likes of ITM Power, Fulcrum, SIG and Stanley Black and Decker. The park comprises over 200 acres with 700,000 sq ft of floor space already accommodating over 2,000 jobs.

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The park is seen as key to the potential Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) with the University of Sheffield officially opening its Factory 2050 in 2017 as part of its "AMRC2" site. Boeing Sheffield is currently under construction.

Now marketing for Phase 4, which fronts Sheffield Parkway, is underway with agents Knight Frank. Developers are also in discussions with Rotherham Council on securing outline planning permission for the site.

Planning consent is being sought for a range of employment uses including B1 B&C (Research & Development), B2 (General Industrial) and B8 (Storage & Distribution).

The brochure states: "We are able to offer up to 17.91 acres (7.25 hectares) in two plots - Plot 1 c16 acres (6.48 hectares), Plot 2 c1.91 acres (0.77 hectares) of prime development site in the heart of the Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation District with road frontage onto the Sheffield Parkway – the main arterial link between J33 M1 and the City Centre. Both land sales and bespoke design and build packages will be considered."

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The 18 acres in Rotherham is yet to be developed as it was placed in the greenbelt to secure a clear area of land at the end of the former Sheffield City Airport runway. With the airport's closure, the land was changed to employment use in the recently adopted Local Plan. The switch from the HS2 line heading to Meadowhall to the M18 route has also opened up the area for development.

Early estimates were that the plots could potentially accommodate buildings from 9,500 sq ft to 108,000 sq ft and that the space could provide 826 jobs. Updated plans could total around 235,000 sq ft of floorspace across six development plots.

Sheffield Business Park website

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News: Crawshaws continues to look beyond the high street

Rotherham-based Crawshaw Group Plc, the UK's leading value butcher, says that factory shops are central to future profitable growth.

The AIM-listed Hellaby firm reported its interim results which showed that sales continued to decline amid challenging trading conditions.

For the six months ended July 29, pretax losses widened to £1.7m from £1.2m loss in the same period in the previous year. This was despite revenue remaining comparatively flat at £21.6m compared to £22.1m in the year before.

Crawshaw's management has completed its review of the business and is implementing its change programme to restore growth and profitability with a transition to focus more on factory store locations. It continues to open new stores with three new factory shops opened in current year and ten more planned in 2019/2020 and a further ten in 2020/2021.

Crawshaw said it was reviewing its structure and investment in traditional high street locations where it has 42 stores trading.

Jim Viggars, CEO of Crawshaw plc, said: "Clearly the results for H1 are disappointing, but not entirely a surprise given market conditions and the issues that face a retail estate that has too many high street stores and currently not enough factory stores.

"However, the important issue is the future growth and profitably of Crawshaw. The new management team has identified what it considers to be the key issues and are moving at pace to remedy them on a sustainable basis. This is achievable over the medium term, despite market conditions which include declining high street shopper numbers, increasing convenience and online shopping and retail pricing that is more competitive.

"Our factory stores continue to produce good returns and have substantial room to improve as we get to grips with the supply chain and operational standards. Factory stores are our priority for growth."

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Another project sees a trial begin with A.F. Blakemore, the UK's leading Spar wholesaler and retailer, which will take the Crawshaw value meat offer into the growing convenience market. A three-store trial is expected to commence in early October 2018.

Again away from the high street, a new website expected to go live in early October 2018 to enable Crawshaw to deliver direct to the doorstep. The online brand will be WF Burtons, which is a traditional, high quality butchers owned and operated by Crawshaw in Pocklington, Yorkshire.

Viggars added: "Convenience shopping is growing significantly and this route to market will complement our own factory store rollout.

"Taking Crawshaw online by utilising our bespoke butchers' shop WF Burtons of Pocklington provides another new route to market. This will enable us to reach many more consumers who choose online shopping as part of their shopping repertoire. Our key point of difference will be providing a farm to fork Givendale British beef range of high-quality cuts at market leading prices."

Jim McCarthy, chairman of Crawshaw plc, added: "The new leadership team has a significant amount of experience working in the meat industry. They have identified the core issues affecting the business and are actively implementing a programme of change.

"We recognise that some of our existing High Street stores are not core to our future growth. Our Factory store format is attractive to consumers and we intend to accelerate the growth of this proven model, constantly refining value, operational standards and the overall shopping experience that is key in driving sales and profitability.

"We are also trialling initiatives in both convenience and online channels in order to meet changing customer shopping requirements. We believe we will be able to achieve this at relatively low cost and that over time these channels will support the factory store format in delivering sustainable growth and profitability.

"I am confident with the operational actions now being undertaken and new personnel joining to deliver the change we need, we have a programme in place that will, over time, restore shareholder value."

Crawshaw plc website

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News: Council welcomes work at Rother Valley

With work underway on new developments around Rother Valley Country Park, Rotherham Council is looking ahead to the area welcoming more visitors.

Rothbiz reported last week that Gulliver's had begun work on the site of its new £37m leisure resort on the former Pithouse West former colliery site adjacent to the country park.

Planning permission was granted in March last year for Gulliver's Valley - a year round destination aimed at 2 - 13 year olds and include a theme park hub, woodland adventure centre, ecology and education centre, lodges, hotels and a holiday village.

Gulliver's is purchasing 250 acres of land from Rotherham Council adjacent to Rother Valley Country Park that was previously an area of opencast mineworkings.

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Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "I'm really excited to see work starting on this major development for Rotherham and what promises to be a catalyst for economic growth and job creation in the area.

"I look forward to seeing work progress on the site and the hard work and planning over the past few years coming to fruition.

"With work now starting on Gulliver's, and the new caravan and campsite facilities at nearby Rother Valley Country Park also progressing well, I hope the area will be welcoming in many visitors in the not-too-distant future."

The authority is investing £3.7m to create an attractive caravan site which complements the country park and combines with the leisure facilities.

The site will offer 129 pitches for touring caravans and motorhomes, plus space for 34 tents, along with modern toilet and shower facilities, a reception block with café bar, a shop for visitors and a children's play area.

The caravan site is set to open in 2019, in time for the first phase of Gulliver's Valley which is set to open in 2020.

Gulliver's Valley website
Rother Valley Country Park website

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News: £230m needed to fix Supertram

Transport bosses in the Sheffield city region (SCR) have revealed that the cost of renewing the existing Supertram network will be around £230m, and some local councils don't want that cost passed on to them.

Rothbiz reported earlier this month that the SCR was developing proposals for a Mass Transit system, identifying a potential network of "key movement corridors" to support growth. At the same time however, it is having to deal with the issue of the existing Supertram network which will require re-railing, new signalling, communications and power supply as well as replacement trams.

Consultation has now begun in connection to developing the business case that will be submitted to the Department for Transport to support the funding of any renewal works. As part of this business case all possible options need to be explored, and consulted on and then a preferred option for the system needs to be submitted.

Options include spending £230m carrying out essential work on the Supertram system when needed, spending a similar amount modernising the system from 2024 with new assests, or decommissioning the tram system replacing it with a dedicated, high quality, bus network from 2024.

Dan Jarvis, mayor of the Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Combined Authority, said: "For more than 20 years the Supertram has been a fixture within Sheffield and the region and has been making more than 12 million passenger journeys a year.

"We are now working with South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) to establish what the future of the Supertram system might look like. We want to hear from those people who currently use the Supertram, and those who don't, about what its future should be. I would encourage as many people as possible to have their say."

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A funding bid is due for completion and submission to Government in the first half of 2019 but 20% of the costs of the scheme will need to come from the city region.

At a recent meeting of the combined authority, Ros Jones, mayor of Doncaster welcomed the mass transit concept "but asserted the cost of Supertram renewal must be met through grants and fares, and not passed on to the local authorities."

Cllr. Sir Steve Houghton CBE, leader of Barnsley Council, has previously raised concerns over the renewal costs for the Supertram network.

Sheffield Council, whose transport strategy states that Supertram renewal is its "most pressing challenge," has started work on a potential workplace levy, which has been introduced in Nottingham to fund their new tramways, and other transport initiatives.

Opened in 1994, Sheffield's Supertram system cost a reported £240m and now serves major residential and employment sites in Sheffield. A delayed tram-train pilot project is set to bring new vehicles to Rotherham in 2018.

Stagecoach's operating contract runs until 2024. Stagecoach assumed responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the network. Ownership of the asset remains with SYPTE.

In 2014 an unusual accountancy procedure was carried out by the city region to deal with a deficit of £30.5m on its general reserve budget with a significant part of this relating to capital expenditure incurred by the SYPTE as part of the construction of the Sheffield tram network.

A major programme of rail replacement works on the network is currently taking place at an estimated capital cost of £32m.

SYPTE website
Supertram website

Images: Stagecoach Supertram

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News: Macalloy's crowning glory for Sydney's skyline

A unique addition to the skyline of Sydney, Australia has been made possible by steel products made in Rotherham by Macalloy.

Dinnington-based Macalloy are world leaders in design, manufacture and supply of threaded bar and cable systems to engineering and construction projects across the globe. Approximately 80% of the company's turnover is from export.

Described as a "centerpiece and architectural statement," the $250m (£137m) Arc by Crown development is almost complete in Sydney's Central Business District (CBD).

The 25-story development includes residential apartments, serviced apartments, multiple levels of basement carparking, two levels of retail and a rooftop terrace.

Architecture firm Koichi Takada produced a striking design incorporating heritage-inspired lower brick levels transitioning to a modern glass-and-steel tower, capped with a sleek public rooftop that will feature daybeds, a water feature and a bar. The eye-catching roof includes a number of steel arches.

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Macalloy has made these arches a reality. Over 300 Macalloy Stainless 520 M42 Tendons have been used to help support the roof. The arched metal fins that cantilever and curve over the rooftop lounge are connected with the tension bars.

Koichi Takada, architect on the project, said last year: "If you ask a child about the Sydney skyline, they draw the Opera House or Harbour Bridge. We wanted to respond to that, we wanted to create something with that quality, something a child could recognise and draw."

Super strong and aesthetically pleasing, Macalloy products are the choice for architects around the globe. The thread is rolled, rather than cut. This gives rise to the use of smaller diameter bars for a given metric thread, resulting in material cost saving.

Innovative products from Macalloy are used to provide strength in bridges, airports, stadia and buildings including the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai and the Marina Bay Sands development in Singapore.

Macalloy moved to the former Rotherham colliery site at Dinnington from Sheffield in November 2006 as part of their continued expansion.

Macalloy website

Images: Koichi Takada

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News: Steelphalt invests in new vehicles

Rotherham road surface specialist SteelPhalt is continuing to develop new markets with the delivery of two new additions to its fleet of vehicles.

SteelPhalt - part of the Harsco group of companies - has been developing and manufacturing high performance asphalt products for the UK road making industry since the 1960s. Harsco has a site at Aldwarke and Steelphalt has an extensive facility at Templeborough.

The two 10 tonne capacity four-wheel vehicles mark the launch of a new venture for the company as they allow the company's award-winning materials to be delivered to smaller sites and in smaller quantities.

They join a busy fleet of four four-wheel vehicles, seven six-wheelers and 20 eight-wheelers and were acquired in association with SteelPhalt's regular haulier A&F Haulage.

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Lee Birkbeck commercial manager at SteelPhalt (pictured, right), said: "We realised that there was a gap in the market for a smaller vehicle that would be able to access tighter spaces and deliver much smaller quantities of our road surface products.

"Many companies only offer eight-wheel 20 tonne delivery but we have identified a real need for smaller loads in a range of areas covering everything from drive ways to sports and recreation areas, many of which simply do not have the access for the sort of vehicles we use on our major road projects."

SteelPhalt products achieve high skid resistance - enhancing road safety for both drivers and pedestrians - and maintain it throughout the whole life of the road, also avoiding the use of quarried materials and the landfill of residual slag product.

Steelphalt website

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News: First day of term at new University Centre Rotherham

The new £10.5m University Centre Rotherham (UCR) has opened its doors to students and adult learners for the first time today.

UCR is a brand new campus dedicated to offering degrees and professional training qualifications, providing a state-of-the-art teaching facility in the heart of Rotherham town centre.

On Doncaster Gate, UCR is operated by leading education and training provider RNN Group and is part of the Rotherham Plan 2025, a strategy set out by the Rotherham Together Partnership to improve the economic and social wellbeing of the borough. Currently only 17% of the population in Rotherham and Bassetlaw have a higher or degree-level qualification (level 4 or above), compared to the national average of 27%%

RNN Group expects to run 50 different university-level courses by 2020, adding to the 32 higher-level courses currently on offer, and has been working closely with employers to develop courses covering digital, creative, health, technical construction, engineering, and leadership and management, to meet the needs of the local economy.

The target is to attract 1,000 additional students over the first five years. Tuition fees will be under the £9,000 charged by many universities, making degrees more accessible for people in the town. Details of some of the courses available can be found here.

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John Connolly, chief executive of the RNN Group, said: "We are delighted to welcome students to the brand new UCR campus this autumn.

"Studying at UCR means students can achieve their career aspirations without the need to live away from home or travel long distances and offers opportunities for those already in employment who want to study a degree or higher-level qualification around their work and family commitments. We're aiming to inspire students at UCR to become the business leaders and entrepreneurs of the future."

The centre, where plans for a second phase are already in hand, was built by Willmott Dixon. Rotherham Council provided the land in a cut price deal. The Sheffield City Region (SCR) Combined Authority agreed to fund infrastructure works. A grant of £3.5m was approved with the balance coming from RNN Group. Lloyds Banking Group, has both supported and partly funded the project.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, said: "Having a university centre here in Rotherham will develop both education and business for future generations here in Rotherham.

"It makes sense to attract new students and local businesses in order to offer the best educational and business experiences. This centre will play a pivotal role in closing the skills gap in the town and support the local economy by increasing access to higher-level skills."

UCR website

Images: RNN Group

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News: AMRC at the cutting edge

Experts at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing, has demonstrated the use of advanced 3D printing technology for the traditional knife-making industry in Sheffield.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham, the AMRC is a world leading model partnership between industry and academia that focuses on advanced machining and materials research for aerospace and other high-value manufacturing sectors.

Its Design and Prototyping Group (DPG), develops everything from conceptual designs, to fully functional prototypes for a range of industries and recently joined forces with a highly respected Sheffield knife maker to design and develop a bespoke, 3D printed titanium chef's knife.

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Stuart Mitchell, 48, has been making knives for more than three decades, cutting his teeth in the trade as a keen ten-year-old at his father's knee. His bespoke blades are made using many of the same tools his dad used before him in the same red-brick workshop his family took on in 1980.

Despite his feet being firmly rooted in tradition as a craft maker, Stuart's curiosity about additive manufacturing made him want to find out whether the advanced 3D printing technology could be combined with his top quality knife making skills to create something truly beautiful and unique.

The project has allowed Stuart to compare and contrast the end product with his own handcrafted knives.

Andy Bell, design strategy manager for the DPG, said: "This is design-led disruption in the truest sense of the word; a craft maker applying advanced manufacturing technologies and exploring how this could change their business model now and in the future."

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Stuart - whose knives are used across the world in Michelin star restaurants and by members of the Royal family - took receipt of the AM knife at his workshop in Portland Works at the end of summer. He was struck by the quality of the piece.

"I was impressed by the profile of the blade – it replicated very well what I would do by hand, particularly the taper from the spine to the edge," said Stuart. "It did need a degree of grinding to apply an actual cutting edge but the tolerances of the edge were good to start with, very fine. I didn't realise it would print that fine.

"I love the AM knife, it's different and hasn't been done before. Working in that very traditional way and to have something brand spanking new in the workshop is great - what's not to like? What it perhaps also shows, particularly with all the advances in AM, is that there is still a place for what I do as well - an ideal product would perhaps marry the two."

Stuart accessed the expertise and state-of-the-art capabilities at the AMRC and benefitted from a grant-funding scheme run by the AMRC specifically to help small to medium enterprises fund research projects, under the Catapult SME assistance scheme.

AMRC website

Images: AMRC

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News: Healthy Horbury handed hospital contract

Rotherham-based property maintenance provider Horbury Property Services has won a contract with Chesterfield Royal Hospital in Derbyshire to provide planned maintenance and refurbishment services.

From its headquarters in the Moorgate area, the group combines a number of subsidiaries that specialise in areas including joinery, ceilings, dry lining and health and safety training.

Horbury Property Services, which has regional offices in London and South Wales together with the head office in Rotherham, provides a full range of services, which should be part of planned preventative maintenance programmes.

The contract is for an initial three-year period, with the option to extend the contract for a further two years, and involves properties across its whole estate, ranging from carrying out small repairs to large refurbishment projects.

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Richard Sutton, general manager at Horbury Property Services, said: "This is our latest contract win in the healthcare sector, which is a result of our expertise in property maintenance. We demonstrated that we were able to offer a service that is excellent value for money, as well as having the expertise to deliver high quality repair and refurbishment services."

This latest contract follows Horbury Property Services recently becoming one of the delivery partners on a three year framework agreement to provide repairs and refurbishment work to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The company also recently became an approved supplier of hard FM services to NHS Shared Business Services (SBS). This agreement will see Horbury Property Services providing fire door inspection and remedial, building fabric maintenance, flooring services, ironmongery, partitioning and re-lamping services.

Horbury Property Services provides inspection, installation, repair and maintenance of fire doors, joinery works, fire stopping, sealing, fire compartmentation, planned preventative maintenance regimes, portable appliance testing, electrical testing and installation work, building fabric repairs as well as external cladding and render repairs.

Horbury Property Services website

Images: Horbury

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News: Ten year tannery deal for Xeros

Xeros, the cleantech company based in Rotherham, has signed a ten year contract with Le Farc SA de CV (LEFARC) to convert its re-tanning operations in Mexico to use Xeros' patented polymer technology.

Based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), Xeros is a Leeds University spin-out that initially focused on deploying its special polymers in the laundry industries. The next focus was the leather tanning industry, followed by the textile sector. In each case, the re-usable beads can massively reduce the amounts of water needed.

Targeting the $50 billion leather processing market, the contract follows extensive trials which demonstrated material reductions in process inputs and effluent production, radically improving the sustainability of production whilst maintaining high quality leather output.

Xeros signed a similar ten year deal in 2017 with Austrian leather producer, Wollsdorf.

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With a weekly production of 5,000 hides, LEFARC is a globally recognised tannery producing leather for shoes, supplying brands such as Timberland and Wolverine. The tannery is located in one of the world's leading tanning centres, supporting the major brands in the shoe and auto industries.

It is anticipated that leather produced by LEFARC using Xeros technology will be incorporated in consumer products after March 2019.

Mark Nichols, chief executive of Xeros, said: "This contract with LEFARC confirms that our tanning technologies are viable and play a valuable role in the production of leather. In partnership with our customers, we can radically improve sustainability whilst sharing in the value our innovative technology creates.

"We have successfully validated our technology through re-tanning trials for over 40 different recipes with multiple tanneries in Europe and Mexico.

"The considerable interest we are seeing from leading tanneries is a strong indication of the potential to increase rapidly the deployment of our technology in what is a global scale industry - we expect to secure further contracts into the future."

As judged in trials by Wollsdorf, leather produced by Xeros' technology was equivalent to that produced by its conventional process while reducing water consumption by approximately 60% and effluent mass by around 50%. Chemical consumption was also reduced by a material amount.

The technology works with existing wooden, stainless steel and polypropylene drums used in the tanning process meaning that expensive new equipment is not required. Xeros works with a tannery's preferred equipment or engineering partner to make the required minor modifications to the drums.

Xeros Tanning website

Images: LEFARC

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News: Sales at United Carpets hit by warm weather and World Cup

Rotherham-based United Carpets, the third largest chain of specialist retail carpet and floor covering stores in the UK, has reported a dip in sales following a satisfactory period of trading in the previous 12 months.

Challenges in the retail market, and within the home furnishings sector in particular, have persisted since the Bramley-based, AIM-listed company restructured its business following a pre-pack administration deal in 2012.

The group uses a franchise model and the board said in its unaudited preliminary results for the year ended March 31 2018, that "recording moderate increases in revenue, level profits and positive like for like sales of 3.2% is therefore a satisfactory outcome for the year."

In an update to the stock exchange, the board reiterated that trading in early summer was difficult due to the exceptionally warm, sunny weather, and the World Cup, "which together had a significant adverse impact on the Company's sales volumes, as they had on the sector as a whole."

This resulted in a modest decline of 1.9% in like for like sales for the 24 weeks ended September 13 2018.

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The firm said that it had carried out increased marketing investment and that further costs had been absorbed during the period in supporting the franchise network and making additional investment in future business developments. It added that this would be reflected in significantly lower profit levels in the first half of the current financial year.

The update, which coincided with the firms' AGM, concluded: "Whilst comparatives for the balance of the year remain challenging, the Board believes the business is well positioned for future trading and is actively pursuing appropriate ways to respond in the second half of this financial year in order to reduce the impact on the full year results.

"In view of the strength of its store portfolio together with the abilities and commitment of the franchisee network, the Board remains confident that the Group will continue to be cash generative, with no borrowings, and able to support its current dividend policy."

United Carpets website

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News: Rotherham shop keeper joins dementia fundraising campaign

Rotherham businessman Kevin Holland is proving that even the smallest act of generosity can make a massive difference to a charity like Lost Chord.

Kevin, who runs Kev's Shoe Repairs in Maltby, always has a collecting tin on his counter in support of Lost Chord, the organisation that provides vital interactive musical experiences for people living with dementia in care homes and day centres across the region and nationally.

And in the five plus years he has been supporting Lost Chord, customer donations of just small change have raised an impressive £400.

"Lost Chord is a local charity that does some brilliant work for people with dementia," said Kevin.

"I'm really pleased that just those bits of loose change can make a real contribution to what the charity is doing."

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Helena Muller, chief executive of Lost Chord, added: "The smallest gestures can make the greatest difference.

"All Kevin's customers can be assured that every penny they donate goes direct to supporting people living with dementia, for whom music is often their only way of connecting with loved ones.

"If you think your customers could help support people with dementia why not contact us for a collecting tin and join Kev's campaign to help bring joy into the life of all those people out there struggling with dementia."

Starting out in Rotherham care homes in 1999, Lost Chord now produces more than 1,300 interactive musical sessions a year in 130 homes, designed to stimulate responses from people with dementia through the media of music, song and dance. Patrons include Sir Cliff Richard, Lesley Garrett and Dame Vera Lynn.

Lost Chord website

Images: Lost Chord

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News: Supply chain soars with Boeing's Sheffield investment

Leading companies based on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham are set to supply Boeing's new £20m manufacturing facility in the Sheffield city region (SCR).

Announced last year, the 25,000 sq ft facility, to be named Boeing Sheffield, will enable the Seattle firm to bring the manufacture of key high-tech actuation components and systems used in Boeing's Next-Generation 737, 737 MAX and 777 aircraft in-house, enhancing production efficiency and reducing costs.

Liberty Speciality Steels will be supplying steel bar that will be used at Boeing Sheffield where operations are set to begin later in the autumn of this year.

Investment under previous owners Tata Steel in 2005 saw the Rotherham site at Aldwarke become the focus for steel making, casting and rolling of specialist steels. The steel is manufactured before undergoing further refining at the Stocksbridge plant or the Thrybergh Bar Mill to improve the quality. The South Yorkshire operations have been supplying steel for the A380 Airbus and Boeing's 787 Dreamliner.

The bar business was moved to Speciality Steel in 2012 and a £2.75m investment was announced for Rotherham. In 2013 a £15m investment was announced to focus on high-purity vacuum induction melted (VIM) steels for the aerospace industry at Stocksbridge.

Under new owners, Liberty House, a multi-million-pound investment plan has seen the reactivation of the "small bloom" caster and the iconic N-Furnace at Aldwarke. Production of high-grade steels is up from 179,000 tonnes-a-year in 2016/17 to 292,000 tonnes this year. It is aiming to reach output of more than a million tonnes a year by 2020. It is almost all made from scrap metal.

For Boeing Sheffield, locally made steel will be provided to Maher, a first time supplier to Boeing, who will then supply bespoke steel bar and pre-machined components.

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Maher has a purpose-built head office and warehouse facility in Sheffield and an office at the AMP. A supplier of high performing alloys and machinist of finished components, specialising in nickel, titanium and copper-based alloys, Maher has been a tier two member of the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing since inception.

Donna Saul, managing director of Maher, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for Maher to be part of the Boeing supply-chain, providing machined components and bespoke steel bar to the Boeing facility in Sheffield. The team at Maher are excited to work closely with Boeing and look forward to supplying the service and support required to make Sheffield a success story for both companies."

Boeing is undertaking a major Research & Development programme with the AMRC to develop new manufacturing techniques that can be applied in the new facility on the Sheffield Business Park.

MetLase Ltd has been confirmed as Boeing Sheffield's tooling and fixturing partner. The joint venture between Rolls-Royce and the Unipart Group is a mechanical engineering consultancy that specialises in increasing productivity by designing and manufacturing complex tooling, fixturing and components for a wide range of industries, often bringing lead times of months down to just days.

Taking space in the Advanced Manufacturing Park Technology Centre in Rotherham the rapidly-growing company is initially focused on aerospace, automotive, motorsport and the medical market sector and expects to create around 30 high-end, technical engineering jobs on the AMP.

Already announced, MetLase and Maher's neighbours on the AMP, NIKKEN Kosakusho Europe has secured a long term partnership with Boeing to provide high precision tool-holders, cutting tools and tool presetting solutions.

Boeing's first European factory will produce 7,000 actuation system components each month, which will be shipped for assembly in Boeing's Portland, Oregon plant in the United States.

Worcester-based Aeromet International Ltd and Mettis Aerospace in Redditch also take their place in the supply chain.

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Sir Michael Arthur, president, Boeing Europe and managing director, Boeing UK and Ireland, said: "In Sheffield we have an excellent local supply chain and Boeing is sourcing from these established companies because of their high-quality manufacturing capability and talented people.

"I'm delighted to bring Maher, MetLase and NIKKEN on board as new Boeing suppliers, and to extend our supplier relationship with Aeromet and Mettis. We look forward to working together."

Last year the US aero giant confirmed that direct spending with UK suppliers had tripled over the previous six years to £2.1 billion.

Boeing website
Liberty Speciality Steels website
Maher website
MetLase website
Nikken website

Images: Boeing / Finnegan

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News: Magtec changes track to convert diesel trains

Magtec, the UK's largest supplier of electric vehicle drive systems, is working to deliver the rail industry's first conversion of a diesel-powered train to hybrid drive.

Founded in 1992, MAGTEC designs and manufactures electric drive systems and components for a wide range of applications including trucks, buses and military vehicles.

The expanding firm now has facilities in Sheffield and Rotherham and is working with train leasing company, Angel Trains and Chiltern Railways to convert a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) Class 165 train. As part of the £3.5m project, the new "HyDrive" train is due for completion by late 2019 and will serve passengers on Chiltern Railways routes, including commuter routes between London Marylebone to Aylesbury.

In future, passengers using the Class 165 HyDrive could benefit from potentially reduced journey times, thanks to the improved acceleration offered by the hybrid technology compared to its diesel-only counterparts. Additionally, when the hybrid system detects proximity to stations or depots, it will turn the engines off and run on its battery, removing gaseous and noise emissions from populated areas.

Improved fuel efficiency means an increased range, making operation more efficient. Maintenance will also be reduced compared to diesel-only units, with remote diagnostics used to ensure that the hybrid system continues to operate smoothly.

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The completed Class 165 HyDrive project will have a positive environmental impact, most notably through a significant reduction in CO2, NOx and noise emissions. The new range-extender engines, designed to drive generators to charge the traction battery which delivers power to the traction motor, will be smaller and more efficient than the existing engines and will comply with the latest emission standards. The battery will be re-charged by the vehicles new regenerative braking system, increasing overall efficiency and reducing emissions.

The engines will be replaced after their life cycle providing an upgrade path to alternative power sources in the future. This offers the opportunity for incremental improvements in emissions and reduced operating costs as technology develops.

Kevin Tribley, CEO of Angel Trains said: "Angel Trains is delighted to be involved in this innovative Class 165 HyDrive project to deliver an industry-first transformation, alongside our partners Chiltern Railways and Magtec.

"Our £3.5m investment further demonstrates Angel Trains' commitment to investing in industry-leading innovations and decarbonisation initiatives, while continuing to deliver significant train upgrades to meet modern environmental and passenger expectations."

Marcus Jenkins, founder and managing director of Magtec, said: "This exciting project marks our entry into the rail industry and puts the UK at the forefront of innovation in the global sector. Repowering diesel trains as hybrid units will add decades to their life span, offering long-term commercial benefits for operators.

"Our innovative and elegant engineering is attracting interest from transport operators and innovators across the world."

Magtec is also a partner in a pioneering project with Unipart Rail and others which aims to reduce the weight and cost of a railcar by half.

Magtec website

Images: Angel Trains

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News: Commissioners to be removed from Rotherham Council

The Government has confirmed that it is concluding its intervention in Rotherham Council and returning all powers to the authority.

As part of a Government intervention package, commissioners were appointed in 2015 to provide leadership, taking over the roles of the cabinet that was deemed "wholly dysfunctional" following a Government review that came after a 2014 report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham that described how vulnerable children had been repeatedly failed by the Council.

In February 2016, a year after commissioners were brought in, a third of decision making responsibilities were returned to the Council and the majority of services came back under the Council's democratic control last year.

The Council will have full democratic control of all its services when the decision to return powers comes into force from next Monday. This is on condition that the Council commissions an independent progress review of delivery of services before the directions expire on March 31 2019.

Lead commissioner Mary Ney said: "The Commissioners are pleased that the continuous hard work of members, officers and partners in Rotherham has resulted in sufficient improvement for democratic decision-making to be restored to the Council.

"Whilst the Council still faces challenges we have confidence that the leadership of the Council is strong and will work hard to address these. We would like to thank the Council and all of the members and staff we have worked with for their efforts and commitment and we wish the Council, its partners and Rotherham well for the future."

Sir Derek Myers was the initial lead commissioner with commissioner Stella Manzie CBE installed in a managing director role before a new chief exec, Sharon Kemp, began in post in 2016. Julie Kenny CBE DL was brought in as a supporting commissioner. Commissioner Malcolm Newsam left in May 2016 and was replaced by Patricia Bradwell.

The estimated £1m costs of the intervention has been borne by the authority. The actual commissioner days used was 448 days plus a full time managing director commissioner in 2015/16, 248 days in 2016/17 and 114 days in 2017/18 and a final estimated 40 days to the end of the intervention.

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Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council said that the early departure of Commissioners was "testimony to the hard work of many people over the last few years."

He added: "The announcement comes on the back of our "Good" Ofsted report for children’s services earlier in the year. That our Children's Services have been transformed has been a critical indicator of the changes that we have made. But it has only been one part of challenging, re-examining, and improving the way we work and the culture of the Council.

"We could not be where we are today if it wasn't for the dedication of lots of people – our staff, partner agencies, Commissioners and councillors – who were all united in determination that the people of Rotherham should be better served than they had been in the past. My thanks go to all those people today.

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"I'm delighted with the progress that we have made. Whilst the work is never complete and we continue to face significant challenges I hope that residents will be able to take assurance that we are firmly on the right track."

Sharon Kemp, chief executive at Rotherham Council added: "Over the past four years there have been significant changes here at the Council, including changes across the leadership.

"Today's announcement is pleasing however we continue to focus on constantly improving outcomes for all our residents and stakeholders."

In writing to the Government, lead commissioner Mary Ney said the most critical issue for the authority was its budget with growing demand in adults and children's social care leading to significant overspends, as well as bearing additional costs arising from the NCA Operation Stovewood investigations.

RMBC website

Images: RMBC

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News: Former Rotherham school set to be demolished by Council

Rotherham Council is continuing with its plans to demolish a former infant school and won't be offering up the building for other uses.

The authority applied earlier this year for approvals for the method of demolition at Kimberworth Infant School.

The plans were approved but the issue has been raised with members and officers at recent Council meetings by residents who say that the community has not been consulted over the proposals.

The Kimberworth Road site was formerly a secondary school, but most recently has been used by the Council and NHS after a replacement school, Winterhill School, was constructed nearby. The £2.9m children's services centre, known as Kimberworth Place, was completed in 2011. Services include physiotherapy, mental health, a short break facility and Learning Disability Services.

Kimberworth Community Primary School is also on the site.

It was explained this week that the Council has not designated part of the site as surplus to requirements but has proposed demolition to reduce the costs and utilise the land. The Council still has plans for the land on which the building sits.

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Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, explained: "This building hasn't been declared surplus and is not subject to the asset transfer rules. Because we are retaining the land it is still part of the estate."

Asset transfer principles and details have been established by the Council to enable the transfer of Council held land and property assets to the community in an efficient and sustainable way, for the benefit of the community as a whole. But it only applies to assets that have been deemed surplus.

Residents say that the building would make an ideal community hub.

Paul Woodcock, assistant director for Planning, Regeneration and Transportation at Rotherham Council, added: "If it is deemed surplus - the land, the building or both - then it would go through the procedure of proposed asset transfer, potential sale, consultation etc. Whilst the building is no longer required, mainly because of the dilapidation and its cost, the Council hasn't declared the site surplus so wish to retain that for its own use.

"The Council has taken the decision to demolish the building to then utilise the land."

In the short term the cleared site is set to be used as car parking. Longer term uses are not yet known. The local plan has the site earmarked for community use.

Kimberworth Comprehensive opened in 1914 as Kimberworth Road Higher Standard School. When Kimberworth Council Infant School, which opened 1880, closed in 1923, pupils transferred to Kimberworth Road School. Kimberworth St. Mark's Infant School, which opened 1888, moved to Kimberworth Road Council Infants School in 1913.

Images: Google Maps

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