Rotherham Council has invested £877,000 to hire new staff to bolster community safety, tackle fly-tipping and improve the borough’s cleanliness.
In April, the Council committed £570,000 to launch a new ‘Street Safe Team’ focused on improving safety in the town centre and principal towns.
The Council says the uniformed team of 10 staff will target areas, including Rotherham town centre, Dinnington, Wath, Maltby and Swinton, using local intelligence to tackle issues and offer a point of contact for residents and visitors.
The team will also be able to enforce local Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to help tackle issues like anti-social behaviour, street drinking and substance misuse.
The Street Safe team recruitment follows a £307,000 investment in cleaning and maintenance teams, which the Council says supports the team to respond faster to fly-tipping.
This investment is not just about more boots on the ground, it’s about delivering real, visible improvements in our communities.
Two new posts will be dedicated to analysing fly tipping and littering data, with a focus on proposing new deterrent and prevention measures and taking a more ‘data-driven’ approach to environmental maintenance.
The Council says its current Rural Verge and Maintenance team will also be doubled from four to eight staff.
Commenting on the investment, Cllr Lynda Marshall, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Green Spaces, said: “Our residents have told us loud and clear that cleaner, safer streets matter to them – and we’re listening.
“This investment is not just about more boots on the ground, it’s about delivering real, visible improvements in our communities.
“From cracking down on fly-tipping to creating a stronger presence in our town centres, we’re taking action that people will see and feel every day. This is about pride in place – and we’re proud to back that with this investment.”
