Autumn Budget 2021: here’s what it means for Rotherham

The two successful bids – for leisure, economy and skills, and town centre projects, are worth £40m combined, and were announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at yesterday’s (October 27) spending review.

Levelling-up was a cornerstone of the Conservative election manifesto in 2019, promising to “revolutionise local communities and support them to thrive” with local authorities being invited to bid for a slice of a £4.8bn fund.

What will change in the town centre?

A 19.5m bid was won for the town centre will go towards the Riverside Residential Quarter and the Leisure and Culture Quarter projects,

Of this, £11m will provide a new pedestrian bridge across the river between the new 171-home residential development and Guest and Chrimes and New York Stadium.

A Riverside Walk will also be developed to open up the river to the new residents and people walking into the town.

£8.5m will support the council’s ongoing flood defence work on the canal barrier and a river walkway.

What will the leisure, economy and skills money be used for?

The £19.99m leisure, economy and skills package aims to “kickstart the leisure and visitor economy” across the borough.

It will fund a suite of new exhibitions at Manga which will focus on science,nature and natural materials, and £5.5 million will fund a new ‘Village Centre’, at Rother Valley Country Park, which will consist of a new café, outdoor play area and an educational centre.

A further £4.5 million will be used for the redevelopment of the former Maltby Grammar School to create a space for training, apprenticeships, and start up support in the leisure and hospitality sectors.

Gulliver’s Valley Resort has also secured £1 million in investment focused on the development of a new Skills Village, which will offer training, development, and accreditation within the hospitality and leisure sector.

What about Dinnington and Maltby?

A third bid, called “Principal Settlements for Growth” focused on housingand employment in Wath and Dinnington.

Under the plans Wath’s library would be demolished and replacedwith a “modern and attractive library with a community hub”.

Dinnington’s outdoor market would be upgraded, and the indoor market would be “transformed to create new residential and retail with space for an indoormarket”.

Although funding for this bid was not announced yesterday, leader of Rotherham Council, councillor Chris Read, says it is “unclear” what this means for the future of the bid – it may be announced at a later stage.

“We continue to wait for formal government advice in relation to these bids, and also our third bid which would have supported improvements in Dinnington and Wath, but which was not included in the Chancellor’s announcement,” Coun Read added.

How have leaders in Rotherham reacted?

Councillor Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council welcomed the funding.

He told the local democracy reporting service that he is “really pleased that the government has endorsed the bids that we’ve put forward, and pleased that we’re able to work with a number of other organisations in the borough who will be able to put some of this money to good use”.

“In the end, it’s about getting the benefit for local people, [that’s] the important thing.”

Alexander Stafford, MP for Rother Valley said: “It’s great that this Government is investing in Rother Valley, for too long, our area has been neglected.

“I will always fight for every penny for our area, so I am pleased that this is beginning to pay off, but this is only the first step, and I hope that there will be more good news for other parts of Rother Valley soon”.