News: Rotherham regeneration funding pot retained in Budget
A pot of regeneration funding has been retained in The Budget but it is still unclear if £20m earmarked for Rotherham by the previous Government will reach the borough.
Rothbiz reported in August on calls from Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, regarding uncertainty over regeneration funding awarded to Rotherham town centre.
Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, urged the government to fund the proposals under the Long Term Plan for Towns in a letter to the Chancellor last week.
Rotherham was selected in 2023 as one of 55 towns to be given £20m endowment-style funds to invest in local people’s priorities.
Town Boards in these areas were asked to submit their Long-Term Plans (comprising their 10-year vision and 3-year investment plan) before August 1 but since the 2024 election, the deadline was moved and a new timescale was awaited.
Yesterday, the government said that it had "delivered a Budget to fix the foundations of our economy" and included measures intended to spread growth across the country.
"Core Levelling Up Fund projects" are set to continue – providing £1 billion in 2025-26 to revitalise high streets, town centres and communities and the Budget documents included the line: "The Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed into a new regeneration programme."
Town boards will wait to see what a reformed programme will look like.
Advertisement
With £250,000 of capcity funding already awarded to the borough, Rotherham Town Board, a private-sector chaired board that oversees government spending, has been working on plans for the £20m endowment.
Rothbiz reported in September that the long term plan would focus on the key themes of safety and security, high streets, heritage and regeneration, and transport and connectivity.
Planned interventions included establishing a "Rotherham Town Team" with dedicated, cross-organisation resources and powers to bolster enforcement, providing a welcoming and reassuring presence in the town centre.
Funding would also go towards events, activities and campaigns; tackling the number of empty buildings; bringing health services to the High Street; and more high quality, well maintained public spaces.
Under transport and connectivity, interventions included active travel schemes and improvements for gateways and routes to areas such as Clifton Park and the new mainline station zone towards Parkgate.
Before The Budget, Cllr. Read said in his letter to the Chancellor: "The regeneration of our borough is essential to its future prosperity, and the role of our town centre is an important part of that. Whilst the previous government's proposals are currently on hold, I would urge the government to fund the proposals put in place previously, and as a minimum to maintain the revenue contribution. Without this we simply cannot respond to some of the common feedback we receive from residents - because our overall budget is already under such extreme pressure."
Images: RMBC / Flux Rotherham / Wow Rotherham
Rothbiz reported in August on calls from Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham, regarding uncertainty over regeneration funding awarded to Rotherham town centre.
Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council, urged the government to fund the proposals under the Long Term Plan for Towns in a letter to the Chancellor last week.
Rotherham was selected in 2023 as one of 55 towns to be given £20m endowment-style funds to invest in local people’s priorities.
Town Boards in these areas were asked to submit their Long-Term Plans (comprising their 10-year vision and 3-year investment plan) before August 1 but since the 2024 election, the deadline was moved and a new timescale was awaited.
Yesterday, the government said that it had "delivered a Budget to fix the foundations of our economy" and included measures intended to spread growth across the country.
"Core Levelling Up Fund projects" are set to continue – providing £1 billion in 2025-26 to revitalise high streets, town centres and communities and the Budget documents included the line: "The Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed into a new regeneration programme."
Town boards will wait to see what a reformed programme will look like.
Advertisement
With £250,000 of capcity funding already awarded to the borough, Rotherham Town Board, a private-sector chaired board that oversees government spending, has been working on plans for the £20m endowment.
Rothbiz reported in September that the long term plan would focus on the key themes of safety and security, high streets, heritage and regeneration, and transport and connectivity.
Planned interventions included establishing a "Rotherham Town Team" with dedicated, cross-organisation resources and powers to bolster enforcement, providing a welcoming and reassuring presence in the town centre.
Funding would also go towards events, activities and campaigns; tackling the number of empty buildings; bringing health services to the High Street; and more high quality, well maintained public spaces.
Under transport and connectivity, interventions included active travel schemes and improvements for gateways and routes to areas such as Clifton Park and the new mainline station zone towards Parkgate.
Before The Budget, Cllr. Read said in his letter to the Chancellor: "The regeneration of our borough is essential to its future prosperity, and the role of our town centre is an important part of that. Whilst the previous government's proposals are currently on hold, I would urge the government to fund the proposals put in place previously, and as a minimum to maintain the revenue contribution. Without this we simply cannot respond to some of the common feedback we receive from residents - because our overall budget is already under such extreme pressure."
Images: RMBC / Flux Rotherham / Wow Rotherham
26 comments:
It would have been political suicide by the Labour party not to honour these pledges in a town like Rotherham. The town team sounds like a good idea.
On the down side, it seems that there's going to be more money for cycle lanes.
Great news, especially about the extra cycle lanes
The cycle lanes around Rotherham Town centre are possibly the best idea RMBC have implemented in years. If I had the slightest, stupid, split second thought of visiting, this renforces not bother and drive somewhere else in South Yorkshire instead.
Your determination not to visit Rotherham town centre is the best news we have heard for many a month. After all, would hate for it to be thought of as a place for undesirables. Enjoy your travels and possibly think of venturing a little further afield?
There a piece on the news this morning looking at why some local authorities across the UK are now banning bikes from their town centres. Factors such as the impact on pedestrians and rise in anti-social behaviour were cited. You couldn't make it up!
Cyclists are a menace, they think they own the road and contribute nothing. Yet of pounds are spent on cycle lanes that are always empty, motorists pay millions, yet have to suffer pot holes!
Determination implies I have to try hard not to visit, which really isn't the case.
You are aware that the vast majority of cyclists also own cars as well?
From the tone of your rant I assume you are a motorist and a tax payer. You mistakenly believe that your vehicle licence fee is exclusively used to upkeep the roads and as cyclists are exempt from this tax they have no right to use the roads. Wrong on all counts. The upkeep of roads as well as Defence, NHS, Education, Social Care, Welfare Benefits and all other government expenditure comes from general taxation. The so called "road tax", which is a misnoma, is just one aspect of this. So cyclists, like taxpayers who do not even use the roads at all, contribute to the upkeep of roads, however poorly this may be done. So as a driver you are actually being subsidised by others. So stop whining for goodness sake.
I could understand if cycle lanes were used but they’re certainly not in Rotherham-so they are a waste of money
Can you honestly say that all the money spent on Westgate & top of Wellgate is money well spent?
No one can answer that at this stage. If the creation of cycle lanes encourages more people to cycle rather than drive then in the long run it could be money well spent. Time, as they say, will tell.
Your knowledge knows no bounds.
On behalf of all cyclists, thank you RMBC.
Thar wouldn’t be many then!
I clearly have a lot more knowledge than you.
Thar could be wrong
Who’s rattled your cage Jez?
Who's rattled your cage?
Who's rattled your?
Behave Jez
Who's rattled?
Who's?
"Thar she blows!"
Saddo
"On behalf of all cyclists, thank you RMBC." - Is that a thanks from all three of them? ;-)
Post a Comment