Council Plan: Introduction and context

To help inform the strategic aims of the refreshed Council Plan, a public consultation and engagement exercise took place from 6 September to 12 November 2024 to seek the views of Rotherham residents and other local stakeholders.

Participation in the Council Plan consultation overall has been positive with a total combination of 1,963 interactions, survey responses or focus group attendees across all methods of engagement. This is an increase on the 1,300 engagements achieved through the consultation exercise undertaken in 2021 to develop the Plan that was agreed in January 2022.

The focus of the consultation centred around what people thought were the biggest challenges and opportunities facing our communities, as well as their wish for the future of the borough.

Combined findings across the short interactions, online and postal survey.

The most common responses in order are as follows:

What do you like most about where you live?

• Parks and green spaces – The main thing that residents liked about where they lived was the abundance of green spaces, countryside and parks
• The people - The next most popular response was friendly neighbours and the fact that there was a good community spirit where they lived 
• Peace and quiet – Respondents also liked the fact that it was nice and peaceful where they lived
• Close to local amenities - People felt that they had good local amenities in their area and they liked the fact that they were close by
• Location – Respondents liked the area they lived in and the fact that they were in close proximity to other areas.

What is one thing you would improve about your area?

• Safety and tackling anti-social behaviour – The most commonly cited area of improvement was community safety. Respondents wanted more to be done to tackle anti-social behaviour, both in the town centre and in their local area
• Cleaner streets – Followed by respondents wanting less litter and cleaner streets, both in the town centre and in their local area
• Roads - The next area that residents felt needed improvement was the roads, with people highlighting the fact that roads and pavements needed repairing, along with grass verges at the roadside needing to be cut back
• Better maintained green spaces – Respondents also felt that parks and green spaces in their local area needed to be better maintained
• Regeneration of the town centre - People also wanted continued investment and regeneration of the town centre, including an improved retail offer.

What is your one wish for the future for Rotherham?

• Regeneration of the town centre - The main wish for the future was people wanting continued investment and development of the town centre.
• Feeling safer – The next thing that respondents mentioned was that they wanted to feel safer in Rotherham, particularly in the town centre.
• Proud, prosperous and thriving - People also wanted to feel proud about Rotherham, and for the town to be prosperous and thriving again. They wanted Rotherham to have a better reputation and to be in the news for positive reasons.
• Improved retail offer - Respondents also wanted an improved retail offer in the town centre, including more independent shops. However, some people realised that a reduction in the number of shops in town centres was a national issue and was not something particular to Rotherham.
• Cleaner Streets - As in the previous question, respondents wanting cleaner streets came up again in the top five responses for their wish for the future.

Summary of findings across focus groups (that differed to the online, postal or short interactions).

Through the focus groups that were undertaken, further views and feedback were gained. In addition to the themes reflected above, the following feedback was provided:

• Housing – including providing high quality, affordable homes and tackling homelessness
• Young people – including things for them to do, instilling aspiration, obtaining a good quality education, better SEND provision, improved careers advice and pathways to work, and providing a good work offer for them to want to stay in the borough
• The environment – including green spaces, net zero, flooding, climate change
• Transport - The need for a better transport offer across the borough – particularly bus services
• Culture and leisure - improving access to culture and leisure facilities and continuing to maintain parks and play areas to high standards
• Health services - improved access to health services – particularly mental health
• Cost of living support - continued cost of living support to alleviate poverty and inequalities
• Attracting investment - attracting investment to provide good quality jobs and create opportunities

The priorities in the refreshed Council Plan have been shaped by the consultation carried out during 2024. The Plan reflects the things that residents have told us are important to them and it contains clear goals that we will work towards over the next five years.

This consultation is seen as part of an ongoing dialogue between the Council and residents to help shape delivery and to feedback progress on how the Council is delivering against the targets set out in the Council Plan.