17 February 2022
Welcome to the Rotherham Round-up, your regular email update with news, video and events from Rotherham Council.
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  VIDEO MESSAGE: The Leader of Rotherham Council, Councillor Chris Read sets out the 2022/23 budget position
12 years of tough decisions but some investments in valued services made possible
The Leader of Rotherham Council, Councillor Chris Read has been setting out the Council's 2022/23 budget proposals, which were agreed by Cabinet on 14 February and will now go forward to the Council meeting for a final decision next month.
Unable to attend the Cabinet meeting after testing positive for Covid-19, the Leader has explained how, like families across the country, the Council's finances are also being hit by spiralling energy costs and the National Insurance rise, on top of ever-increasing demand for Adult Social Care.
However, because of the tough decisions made over the last 12 years, which has seen huge funding cuts for local government, Rotherham Council is in a better financial position than many other local authorities and is able to make some investments in services this year.
Areas for investment will include support for vulnerable children, adult social care, cleaner streets, road safety, tackling climate change and safer neighbourhoods.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE MESSAGE.
Social Care Levy increase to protect service for the vulnerable
The Government has increased its funding for Rotherham Council this year but the extra money falls short of the £11m required just to meet the increasing cost of social care to older people and people with disabilities.
Consequently, to help meet this shortfall, the Council will have to increase the Adult Social Care Levy on Council Tax by 3%.
Extra Council Tax support for low income households
A further 1.5% increase on general Council Tax is also proposed, meaning the overall increase in bills to households would be below the government’s maximum recommended increase for the third successive year.
For most Rotherham households, the total increase in Social Care Levy and Council Tax would be around 93p per week.
Support for the lowest income households is also proposed to be strengthened for the next two years and nearly one in five of all households of working age (14,500 households initially) will receive additional Council Tax support 'Top Up' payments of up to £112, in recognition of the disproportionate impact the rising cost of living has on those with the lowest incomes. We do not anticipate that this will affect the government’s 'Council Tax Rebate' to assist with energy bills in any way.
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Road safety improvements and CCTV investment
An extension of the Council’s Neighbourhoods Road Safety programme, with two new dedicated staff, addressing local road safety concerns is proposed.
In total, an extra £1.19m will be provided to help tackle problems affecting communities across the borough, such as safety measures at accident hot spots, speeding and dangerous and anti-social parking.
A further £310,000 will complete an upgrade of the borough’s CCTV system, with a dedicated post to manage this going forward.
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Cleaner streets to put the pride back into our public spaces
Nearly half a million pounds a year is proposed to extend the contracts of seasonal street cleaning and grounds maintenance staff, which would mean additional grass cutting and weed clearance across the borough. There is also a proposal to invest in new street sweeping vehicles.
Assuming the proposals are agreed, we'll also be expanding our use of wild flower “pollinator-friendly” approaches to grounds maintenance in more areas, which means creating natural habitats of wildflowers, which are good for nature
And we'll engage with more communities on our tree planting programme, as part of our work to tackle climate change
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Keeping our children safe and more opportunities for young people
Our budget plan includes a package totalling more than £700,000 a year to support young people with additional youth work, support for children at risk of child criminal exploitation and family group conferencing to keep more children living with extended family, rather than going into care.
There is also the reintroduction of grants to help low income families with the cost of school uniforms and extra money to improve services for children with Special Educational Needs.
The full council meeting to finalise the budget takes place on 2 March.
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Children's Capital of Culture 2025 launch: 21 Feb - 3 Mar
 Rotherham will officially launch its journey to become the world’s first Children’s Capital of Culture, with a special 10-day festival of events aimed at children and young people of the borough.
The Children’s Capital of Culture Launch Festival (21 February – 3 March) will give a taste of what 2025 could look like in Rotherham, spotlighting it as a cultural destination and home to a hive of creative talent.
Rotherham town centre will be transformed into a playground for the young community during February half-term, with a skate and arts festival, demos by Team GB skaters and BMX pros, a giant spray-painting robot, live music, large-scale art installations, and unmissable creative workshops and events.
The launch festival kick-starts a five-month pilot programme of activity for 0–25-year-olds in Rotherham. From now until June 2022, children and young people can attend events, join creative networks and take part in skills training programmes as part of the Children’s Capital of Culture programme, which has received £1.4m from the UK Government through the UK Community Renewal Fund.
The Launch Festival - what's on
Rotherham Skate and Arts Festival (22-24 February, Rotherham Town Centre)
Join us for Rotherham’s first ever Skate and Arts Festival, an action-packed few days of skateboarding, biking, art installations, floor murals, art workshops, music and more. It includes:
Rotherham’s Town Centre will be transformed into ‘Uplift’, a colourful pop-up skate park created by Art of Protest and King Ramps. Meet Olympic BMX bikers and skateboarders, including Jack Clark, Alex Hall and Jordan Thackeray from Team GB, who will be performing their best kickflips, ollies, and laser flips, and learn their tricks with free skate and BMX workshops running each day. All wheels and safety equipment provided.
- Robot Selfie (24-26 February, All Saints Square)
Robot Selfie, an artistic robot from UK-based production studio Kaleider, will land in All Saints Square to create a huge mural of Rotherham’s young people. Upload your selfie on-site and watch it being spray painted onto the giant canvas.
Free 45-minute stencil and spray painting workshops for graffiti lovers and more. Learn the fundamentals of design, stencil making, spray painting techniques, can control and drop shadowing.
Have a go at screen printing at this pop-up with Carousel print studio, or design and create your own skate-inspired stickers with graphic artist Ed Syder, at these free drop-in sessions.
- Live music & street food (24 February, town centre)
Listen to local bands, including Skint Knees, Blood Stained Reputation and Undies, who’ll be playing live on stage. You can also pick up some delicious food from one of the on-site street food stalls.
Truth to Power Café (7.30pm, 24 & 25 February, Rotherham Civic Theatre)
Amplifying the voices of young people in Rotherham, Jeremy Goldstein’s acclaimed Truth To Power Café is coming to Rotherham Civic Theatre. This uplifting and empowering performance will feature eight local young people telling their personal stories and answering the question ‘Who has power over you, and what do you want to say to them?’. The live and digital performances are commissioned by The Space. Tickets are £12 (£9 concession) and available from www.rotherhamtheatres.ticketsolve.com.
Linger Longer Lane, (10am-4pm, 22-26 February, the Old Town Hall)
Literacy charity Grimm & Co have created Linger Longer Lane, a magical and enchanting place where families, children, young people, culture and creativity come together. Take part in workshops covering everything from crafts and storytelling to music, dance and poetry, or watch Khula Arts performing engaging music, story and dance performances from the street’s balconies.
Neon Light Installation (Monday 28 February, Rotherham Civic Theatre)
A new neon art installation by local artist Patrick Murphy will light up Rotherham Civic Theatre, inspired by Ian McMillan's new poem and made in collaboration with a team of Young Producers, who have shared their favourite experiences in Rotherham and future hopes for the town.
Into The Realm of Possibility (Monday 21 February – Sunday 29 May)
Clifton Park Museum will take you Into The Realm of Possibility, an interactive exhibition co-curated by young producers. It tells the story of Children's Capital of Culture, celebrates youth and childhood through objects from the museum's collection, and gives you the chance to share your ideas for the future. Showcasing bold work from young artists in residence, it brings together stories and childhood memories from different generations, and will act as a hub for Children’s Capital of Culture over the next four months, with a programme of talks, tutorials, workshops and classes.
See the Children's Capital of Culture Facebook page for more information.
Group booking for Women' Euros goes to extra time!
 Click on the image to go to the UEFA Ticketing website
UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 comes to Rotherham this Summer and you still have a chance to get your hands on tickets!
Due to popular demand, the Group Booking Window deadline has been extended until 3pm on Monday 28 February.
Group bookings are ideal for schools, businesses, clubs or large family and friends groups who want to experience a major international football tournament together. To qualify for group booking discount you must purchase at least 11 tickets.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Purchase your group tickets today from the UEFA Ticketing website and use the code GROUP
Rotherham match schedule for group games
The matches at Rotherham’s New York Stadium will take place on:
- Sunday 10 July 2022, 8pm - France v Italy
- Thursday 14 July 2022, 8pm – France v Belgium
- Monday 18 July 2022, 8pm – Iceland v France
 Vital tool in developing speech, language and communication
Rotherham Council has launched a website for new parents and people who work with children to support the development of local children’s speech, language and communication (SLC) skills.
Tiny Talkers gives parents and carers of children under five years the information they need to help their child’s development through top tips, fun activities and details of Rotherham support services.
It’s important that children learn to talk and listen, so they can communicate, make friends, have fun and learn about the world.
Helping children to learn can be as easy as talking, listening and playing with them whenever you can, but sometimes it can be hard to know where to start.
Tiny Talkers supports local parents, carers and professionals by providing lots of ideas and activities for boosting children’s vital speech, language and communications skills.
Search the Tiny Talkers website for simple tips and activities, or to find out what’s available where you live.
Read more at the Tiny Talkers website.
Have your say on the things that matter to you
Did you know the Council is regularly asking local residents and businesses for their views on a huge variety of topics?
From taxi licensing to cycling strategies and our annual budget to local plans, we would really like to hear your views on what's happening locally, what you support, what you're against - and why. Public opinion matters.
Current consultations include proposed changes to day service opportunities, a new Housing Strategy and the Safer Rotherham Partnership Priorities.
View all consultations, including those which have closed, on the Council's website: www.rotherham.gov.uk/consultations
Planning Applications
You can view and comment on planning applications on the Planning Portal.
Licensing Applications
View the latest licensing applications and have your say on our Licensing web pages.
Connected by Water - what do you think to flood plan?
 Devastating floods in November 2019 affected thousands of homes and businesses across South Yorkshire, damaging infrastructure and the local economy.
Since then, a partnership of organisations including the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Environment Agency, Barnsley Council, Doncaster Council, Rotherham Council, Sheffield City Council, and Yorkshire Water, have been working not only to deliver flood risk management schemes on the ground, but also to plan catchment-wide measures for the future to help meet the challenges of climate change.
In Rotherham there are six priority flood alleviation schemes, which the Council has already committed nearly £6m to make 'shovel ready'. They are:
- Rotherham to Kilnhurst Flood Alleviation Scheme
- Parkgate & Rawmarsh Flood Alleviation Scheme
- Whiston Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme
- Eel Mires Dike Flood Alleviation Scheme at Laughton Common
- Catcliffe Permanent Pumping Station
- Culvert Renewal Programme
We're asking local people and businesses what they think about the Connected by Water Action Plan.
You can see more about what is being proposed and register your views here.
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