Rotherham’s ambitions becoming a reality

The leader 2019

Rotherham’s ambitious plans were the focus of this year’s showcase event as leaders came together to highlight just how far the town has come in a short space of time.

In 2017 the Rotherham Partnership Plan was launched with the aim of pushing the future vision of the town.

At that time there was just a shared ambition by the Rotherham Together Partnership - the borough's local strategic partnership - for where the town would go.

These ambitions, or “game changers”, included building stronger communities; integrated health and social care; skills and employment and developing the town centre.

Two years on there have been significant developments as the ambitions for the town take shape. This includes the £12m refurbishment of the dilapidated bus station; the opening of the new university building and the £50m McLaren investment taking off – which last year was even sealed with a Royal visit.

Building work is underway at Gulliver's theme park, which is due to open later this year; the tram train vision is now a reality with more than half a million passengers to date and Rotherham has once again been deemed as having the fastest growing local economy in Yorkshire. By next year building work will be underway at Forge Island, where plans include a multi-screen cinema, restaurants and a hotel as part of the town centre masterplan.

Council Leader Cllr Chris Read, who is also the partnership chair, said: “We said that our game changers would alter people's lives and today we can see those ambitions transformed into reality with much more still to come.

“What began as words and commitments two years ago is taking shape, in bricks and mortar and jobs, in opportunities realised, and in a different way of working.

“This is a credit to the work that the partnership has done that this reality is forming around us. This is real change. There are many challenges still ahead, but we've made a down payment on the kind of borough we want to build in the future.”

Cllr Read hosted the partnership event at New York Stadium, which was attended by the borough's public, private, voluntary and community sector organisations, who are all working collectively to improve Rotherham. Also speaking were McLaren and Muse, the developers behind the town centre masterplan. At the event a series of short videos were screened featuring members of the public who have already benefited from the game changers, and these will be show cased on the partnership's social media channels.

Two years ago the partnership launched the ‘Rotherham Plan 2025: A new perspective’, setting out the most important things local partners will do over the next few years to help improve Rotherham as a place and make life better for local people.

To see the videos visit: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrvFGkP750mWlsGsWmQw-rOzFc-_Jq_cL

Published: 17th June 2019