New staff dedicated to bolstering community safety, tackling fly tipping and improving the borough’s cleanliness are set to be recruited this summer.
Thanks to a £877,000 investment from Rotherham Council.
Reports due at Council’s cabinet on 9 June detail how, back in April, the Council committed £570,000 to launch a new ‘Street Safe Team’ focused on improving safety in the town centre and principal towns.
The uniformed team, made up of 10 staff, will target areas including Rotherham town centre, Dinnington, Wath, Maltby and Swinton, using local intelligence to tackle issues and offer a reassuring and familiar point of contact for residents and visitors.
The team will also be able to enforce local Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to help tackle issues like anti-social behaviour, street drinking and substance misuse, working closely with partners including South Yorkshire Police.
The investment contributes to the Council’s commitment to ensure that residents are safe, healthy and live well.
The Street Safe team recruitment follows an additional commitment of £307,000 to bolster cleaning and maintenance teams, enabling them to respond faster to fly tipping and strengthen the team dedicated to roadside cleansing, with a focus on popular routes.
Two new posts will be dedicated to analysing fly tipping and littering data, with a focus on proposing new deterrent and prevention measures and taking a smarter, more data-driven approach to environmental maintenance.
Meanwhile, the Council’s current Rural Verge and Maintenance team will be doubled from four to eight staff, improving the Council’s ability to keep key routes safe and clean.
This investment – committed as a response to resident feedback that identified cleaner streets as a top priority - will also increase the frequency maintenance is carried out and support road sign cleaning.
Recruitment for the roles will be live in the coming weeks and advertised through the council’s channels, including social media. Anyone interested is advised to visit www.rotherham.gov.uk/jobs for more information.
Cllr Lynda Marshall, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Green Spaces, said: “Our residents have told us loud and clear that cleaner, safer streets matter to them — and we’re listening.
“This investment is not just about more boots on the ground, it’s about delivering real, visible improvements in our communities. From cracking down on fly tipping to creating a stronger presence in our town centres, we’re taking action that people will see and feel every day. This is about pride in place - and we’re proud to back that with this investment.”
