Rotherham Council says significant investment in frontline services is already transforming the borough, with cleaner streets, improved safety and increased public confidence reported over the past year.
Two newly established teams โ Roadside Cleansing and Street Safe โ have played a central role in the improvements, cleaning 117 roads, removing more than 4,200 bags of rubbish and delivering over 1,700 hours of patrols across town centres.
The work forms part of a wider effort to enhance both the appearance and safety of public spaces, responding directly to residentsโ priorities.
Since launching, the Roadside Cleansing team has made a substantial impact on the boroughโs environment. The team has litter-picked 146km of roadside verges, removed 4,200 bags of waste and collected 12 tonnes of rubbish, alongside additional unbagged fly-tipping. Their work has also strengthened intelligence gathering, with hotspot recording of fly-tipping, asbestos and drug paraphernalia helping to target problem areas more effectively.
The team was created following a ยฃ307,000 investment in last yearโs budget, with a further ยฃ272,000 approved for 2026/27 to expand its work even further.
Alongside environmental improvements, the Street Safe Team has been providing a visible presence in Rotherhamโs town centres, working to tackle antisocial behaviour and support residents.
Since going live, the team has delivered 1,620 hours of high-profile patrols in Rotherham town centre and a further 112 hours across other town centres. Their work has resulted in 12 Community Protection Warnings and nine Fixed Penalty Notices for breaches of Public Space Protection Orders. Officers have also raised 17 environmental waste cases and submitted 17 intelligence reports, directly leading to arrests in four cases.
The team has also supported vulnerable individuals, making six referrals for vulnerable adults and carrying out four emergency first-aid interventions, including one that uncovered a domestic violence incident.
The Street Safe initiative was funded through a ยฃ570,000 investment in last yearโs budget.
Together, the two teams are delivering a coordinated approach to improving Rotherhamโs streets, combining environmental action with community safety measures.
Speaking ahead of a Cabinet meeting on 13 April, Cllr Lynda Marshall, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Green Spaces, said:
โResidents have told us that clean streets and safe neighbourhoods are their top priorities, and these teams are delivering exactly that. You can already see and feel the difference their work is making across our communities.โ
Cllr Saghir Alam, Cabinet Member for Finance and Community Safety, added:
โThis isnโt something the Council is doing alone โ itโs all of us together looking after our neighbourhoods, reporting issues, supporting one another and taking pride in where we live.
โWith continued investment and the dedication of these new teams, weโre building on this positive progress and creating the cleaner, safer Rotherham that residents expect and deserve.โ
The Councilโs Cabinet will review the progress of both teams when it meets on 13 April, with further investment set to build on the early success already seen across the borough.
