Rotherham loses out on levelling up cash for Dinnington and Wath

RMBC submitted a bid to the second round of the government’s flagship levelling up fund in August, for almost almost £20m.

Rotherham was awarded almost £40m in the first round of funding for projects in the town centre, Rother Valley Country Park, Gullivers Valley Theme Park, Maltby Academy and Wentworth Woodhouse.

However, the council’s bid for further funding for Wath and Dinnington was unsuccessful.

If approved, the cash would have been used to clear burnt-out buildings in Dinnington, invest in the outdoor market, and create a new public square to enhance the town’s retail and food offer.

In Wath, the existing library would have been demolished and replaced with a mixed-use building, offering a library and exhibition space, sensory provision, , café and commercial units.

The public realm around the building would also be improved including new ‘play on the way’ equipment.

Alexander Stafford, Rother Valley’s Conservative MP, slammed Rotherham Council, stating it “does not have a vision or a plan for Rother Valley,” adding that there is a “vacum of ideas” outside of the town centre, Parkway, and Parkgate.

“The issue is that beside a planned bus corridor from Maltby to Wickersley and the improvements to Rother valley Councty Park, most of the communities in Rother valley have not been included in RMBC’s regeneration plans,” he said.

Councillor Chris Read, leader of RMBC, said: “The Conservative government has again snubbed the communities of Dinnington and Wath – and refused to grant much needed funding for South Yorkshire’s buses.

“It is a bitter blow to our ambitions for the borough, but when you look at the pattern of places granted funding it’s also clear that it is no accident.

“The Tories know the game is up for them in South Yorkshire and they aren’t even pretending they’re interested in our part of the world any more.

“You must remember that this bid was personally endorsed by Alexander Stafford, who brought Rishi Sunak himself to Dinnington to sell it to him.

“And for what? It’s well past time that the government stopped playing these silly games with competitive bidding pots and gave places like ours the sustainable, reliable funding we need.”