Rotherham scheme is top of the shops

At the recent Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) awards, Rotherham beat off the competition to win the "Best Public/Private Partnership Working" award for the successful Shop Local Scheme.

The Shop Local loyalty card, which currently has over 11,000 subscribers, making it one of the most popular of its kind in the country, has helped to spearhead a retail renaissance in Rotherham town centre.

With over 100 town centre shops signed up to provide discounts and offers to cardholders, since its inception last year, the Shop Local Scheme is a significant success.

Cabinet Member for Town Centres, Economic Growth and Prosperity, Cllr. Gerald Smith, said: "It's great news that Shop Local has been recognised nationally as a fantastic scheme, but, Rotherham shoppers knew that anyway.

As well as scooping the "Best Public/Private Partnership Working" award, Rotherham Borough Council won the prestigious "Council of the Year" award for service delivery."

Leader of Rotherham Council, Cllr Roger Stone, added: "To win the Council of the Year award, beating competition such as Newcastle and Edinburgh City Councils, shows our services are as good as, if not better than, bigger areas, and are second-to-none when it comes to the work we do for the people of Rotherham.

"From the cradle to the grave, we ensure that Rotherham residents are given award winning service, whether it's the four new leisure centres dotted around the borough to delivering the biggest free show of its kind in the north of England, the Rotherham Show.

"Rotherham Borough Council was also nominated in the Best employment and equality initiative, the Best Healthy Living Initiative, the Best Community and Neighbourhood initiative and the Best Service Team for Social Care categories, proving we really are one of the country's best."

However, on the back of a successful visit to the town from Mary "Queen of Shops" Portas, when she praised the council's initiatives to get more people into the town centre, it was the award for the Shop Local scheme which brought about the biggest cheer.

"There's a very good reason that Shop Local has attracted so many people to it, it offers great discounts for the wide range of shops in Rotherham town centre, which continue to grow each week.

"When she visited recently, Mary Portas gave the Shop Local scheme the thumbs up, describing it as one of the fantastic and innovative ways the Rotherham Council were showing people what a great place Rotherham town centre is to shop.

"Getting the APSE award is a massive boost to Rotherham town centre. We're bucking the national trend and introducing an interesting, wide range of shops which are growing each month.

"As well as developing the unique shopping experience that is Imperial Buildings, which has everything from a traditional sweet shop to alternative fashions, we have shops such as the Bitter Sweet Boutique opening in October, making Rotherham town centre a great place to visit."

APSE is a not for profit local government body working with over 300 councils throughout the UK, promoting excellence in public services.

APSE is the foremost specialist in local authority front line services, hosting a network for front line service providers in areas such as waste and refuse collection, parks and environmental services, leisure, school meals, cleaning, housing and building maintenance.

Commenting on the finalists APSE Chief Executive Paul O'Brien said: "There are some real big names in local government amongst our finalists and all are thoroughly deserving of their finalist place.

"After an austere couple of years in local government these awards are a welcome way to acknowledge that, despite the pressures on local councils, those that work to deliver frontline service have continued to make sure that they provide much valued services to their local residents and businesses."