News: Consultees raise same issues again in "left behind" Rotherham
Consultation is underway that will guide a £20m investment into the town over the next ten years, and the issue of feeling safe is coming to the fore again.
Consultees (people who live, work or visit the main urban areas around the town centre) assessed the area low in most themes and picked out safety, run-down streets and parking as key issues.
Rothbiz reported in March that £20m earmarked for Rotherham by the previous Government had been confirmed and given a wider remit focusing on neighbourhood renewal and improving social capital.
Now called Plan for Neighbourhoods, the £1.5 billion programme sets out to invest in 75 areas over the next decade – "a long-term strategy to fix the foundations of those places most left behind." It focuses on three core themes: Thriving Places, Stronger Communities, and Taking Back Control. These themes aim to revitalise local areas, address deprivation, and empower residents by focusing on local needs and priorities.
The findings echo the previous consultation carried out before the government revamped the strategy. Rotherham's long term plan for towns included the key themes of safety and security, high streets, heritage and regeneration, and transport and connectivity.
An update to councillors explains that Rotherham is one of 75 places to receive funding based on its level of need. Money will be spent inside the boundary chosen by Government, known as a "Built Up Area." It is based on data provided by the Office for National Statistics and is the area of a town characterised by urban features such as town centres, major infrastructure and larger populations.
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Consultation used the "Place Standard" tool to assess and improve the quality of places by helping to identify what's good about a place, what needs to be protected, changed, or improved.
Results so far show that the lowest score was for the Influence & Sense of Control theme which scored an average of 2.83 out of 7. A council paper said that "Residents don’t feel listened to. While surveys and councillors are valued, people want clearer evidence that feedback leads to change."
The next lowest theme was Feeling Safe at 2.91, the report adding: "Safety is one of the biggest concerns. Crime, antisocial behaviour, and intimidation make people feel unsafe, especially at night. CCTV and lighting are valued but seen as not enough."
Parking problems in neighbourhoods, litter and fly-tipping have also been flagged up.
In the Street & Spaces theme, the report highlights that "heritage and recent improvements valued, but many streets fee [sic] run-down and in need of better upkeep" and in the Identity & Belonging theme, consultees expressed "pride in heritage, diversity, and friendliness, but stigma and negative perceptions persist. Residents want more positive promotion of Rotherham."
Natural Spaces scored an avaerage of 4.18 out of 7 and was the seen as the strongest asset where parks and countryside was highly valued, "with Clifton Park and Thrybergh often mentioned."
A raft of interventions have been pre-approved by the government which can address the issues from the consultation.
The council report said: "The allocation of funding will be informed by the built-up-area data provided by Government and consultation feedback. Interventions will be prioritised where they have collective benefits and meet the needs of the Geography as a whole."
Undertaking meaningful engagement with the local community is seen a central pillar of the funding and "Neighbourhood Boards" will work up a Regeneration Plan – in partnership with the local authority - to deliver the strategic objectives of the programme.
Rotherham's Regeneration Plan will be submitted to government by November 2025, following which the first tranche of funding will be released in April 2026, broken down to approximately £2m per year with a 75% / 25% split between Capital and Revenue.
The £20m fund is set to be discussed at the council's next Improving Places Select Commission.
Images: South Yorkshire Police / RMBC
Consultees (people who live, work or visit the main urban areas around the town centre) assessed the area low in most themes and picked out safety, run-down streets and parking as key issues.
Rothbiz reported in March that £20m earmarked for Rotherham by the previous Government had been confirmed and given a wider remit focusing on neighbourhood renewal and improving social capital.
Now called Plan for Neighbourhoods, the £1.5 billion programme sets out to invest in 75 areas over the next decade – "a long-term strategy to fix the foundations of those places most left behind." It focuses on three core themes: Thriving Places, Stronger Communities, and Taking Back Control. These themes aim to revitalise local areas, address deprivation, and empower residents by focusing on local needs and priorities.
The findings echo the previous consultation carried out before the government revamped the strategy. Rotherham's long term plan for towns included the key themes of safety and security, high streets, heritage and regeneration, and transport and connectivity.
An update to councillors explains that Rotherham is one of 75 places to receive funding based on its level of need. Money will be spent inside the boundary chosen by Government, known as a "Built Up Area." It is based on data provided by the Office for National Statistics and is the area of a town characterised by urban features such as town centres, major infrastructure and larger populations.
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Consultation used the "Place Standard" tool to assess and improve the quality of places by helping to identify what's good about a place, what needs to be protected, changed, or improved.
Results so far show that the lowest score was for the Influence & Sense of Control theme which scored an average of 2.83 out of 7. A council paper said that "Residents don’t feel listened to. While surveys and councillors are valued, people want clearer evidence that feedback leads to change."
The next lowest theme was Feeling Safe at 2.91, the report adding: "Safety is one of the biggest concerns. Crime, antisocial behaviour, and intimidation make people feel unsafe, especially at night. CCTV and lighting are valued but seen as not enough."
Parking problems in neighbourhoods, litter and fly-tipping have also been flagged up.
In the Street & Spaces theme, the report highlights that "heritage and recent improvements valued, but many streets fee [sic] run-down and in need of better upkeep" and in the Identity & Belonging theme, consultees expressed "pride in heritage, diversity, and friendliness, but stigma and negative perceptions persist. Residents want more positive promotion of Rotherham."
Natural Spaces scored an avaerage of 4.18 out of 7 and was the seen as the strongest asset where parks and countryside was highly valued, "with Clifton Park and Thrybergh often mentioned."
The council report said: "The allocation of funding will be informed by the built-up-area data provided by Government and consultation feedback. Interventions will be prioritised where they have collective benefits and meet the needs of the Geography as a whole."
Undertaking meaningful engagement with the local community is seen a central pillar of the funding and "Neighbourhood Boards" will work up a Regeneration Plan – in partnership with the local authority - to deliver the strategic objectives of the programme.
Rotherham's Regeneration Plan will be submitted to government by November 2025, following which the first tranche of funding will be released in April 2026, broken down to approximately £2m per year with a 75% / 25% split between Capital and Revenue.
The £20m fund is set to be discussed at the council's next Improving Places Select Commission.
Images: South Yorkshire Police / RMBC
3 comments:
Why don’t the police dress like police officers anymore? How can anyone take these baseball cap wearing folks seriously…
I don't think the baseball caps are out of place. The stockings and suspenders are another thing.
You really couldn't make it up.
This is needed because the respondents of previous consultations said that residents didn't feel when the were consulted that the consultations led to meaningful change.
So to remedy the situation, it appears the council is planning to adopted a more consultative approach (presumably based on feedback from consultants, and delivered in a consultative matter, with the various council-led focus groups, etc.) to consult on future consultations to ensure that a collaborative, consultative approach is delivered.
However, if the council really wants to resolve is consultation conundrum, then perhaps it needs to provide balanced and objective consultations - not loaded questions as has happened so often before.
Don't forget, the meaningful consultation on Broom Rd, a scheme which cost millions, was justified by the views of less than 120 people - far fewer than the residents alone impacted by the scheme.
It looks like Sir Humphrey is alive and well, and lurking around the corridors of power in Riverside House!
And of course if they're are successful, it may present a bit of a dilemma for the good ship RMBC. If the previously consulted people were reporting negative experiences, can RMBC find a consultant to deliver a consultation - in a consultative manner of course - that can demonstrate by investing more funds in consultations, that will achieve its objectives of making Rotherham a safer place, where every resident is empowered?
Or would the funds be more wisely spent on policing and security? (Perhaps additional consultations may be required, for RMBC to find out!)
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