Following several months of consultation, work has begun on the Environmental Works programme – an initiative set to improve security and road safety, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and improve the general appearance of neighbourhoods.

FULL PROGRAMME OF WORKS

2010 Rotherham is managing the scheme, working in partnership with Rotherham Borough Council. The initiative is Government funded and is using monies provided as part of the Decent Homes project – a major initiative to refurbish Rotherham Council homes.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Neighbourhoods Councillor Akhtar said: “We have been mindful to consult robustly with tenants and residents and we have listened to what they want. We are very pleased to have been given the opportunity to spend this funding on such a worthwhile initiative; this is a fantastic opportunity to improve neighbourhoods throughout the borough and will continue to feed into our plans to create safer and stronger communities.”

2010 Rotherham’s Assistant Director of Investment Ramona Youhill said: “Working in partnership with our newly procured construction partners we will be targeting areas in greatest need, reducing crime and anti-social behaviour. We welcome our tenants’ input and participation through all the project’s stages and their feedback is key to allow us to continuously improve our services.

“The Decent Homes scheme has played an important role in creating a sense of well being and a better standard of living for tenants. The Environmental Works scheme will build upon this, helping to create a high level of pride in our neighbourhoods for both tenants and home owners. Rotherham is already one of the safest places to live, and this will make it even safer.”

The project will target key areas. Each project has been designed to benefit the street or area as a whole, so includes works to both Council and privately owned properties.

Tenants Maureen, 62, and Michael, 65, believe that the quality of life for residents living in their street and round about will be much better once the work has been completed. The couple, along with their son, Stephen, 30, are having a new driveway.

Maureen said: “The street is very narrow and is always full of parked cars. It means that passing cars have to wait to get through – sometimes we see drivers having heated arguments because someone has refused to back up the street or wait to get through. Dustbin men often struggle to get through because of parked cars and people with prams have to walk on the road to take their children to school.”
Over the last year, 2010 Rotherham, working with Rotherham Borough Council, went into estates to ask residents for their views on the improvements they would like to see in their areas. Estate walkabout with councillors were organised to ensure the best possible value for money.

As well as tenants, residents and councillors, 2010 Rotherham and RMBC consulted with Area Assemblies, Area Housing Panels, Tenants and Residents Associations, South Yorkshire Police, and South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service.

The majority of people told us that they wanted to improve anti-social behaviour and believed this could be best achieved by improving security and taking vehicles off the streets by providing secure off-street parking.

The types of initiatives to be undertaken include: new parking facilities (including driveways and re-surfacing of grass verges) in areas where damage to vehicles has been a cause for concern; fencing and gates where anti-social behaviour has been an issue; new bollards to wasteland; parking bays; Tarmac pebbled areas; drop kerbs for disability access, new security lighting, and block paving to slabbed areas.

The first area to receive works was Eastwood with contractor Ringway Infastructure on site. Maureen praised the team constructing her driveway, stating “they have been fantastic”. Other contractors set to work on the scheme include Bullock, Henry Boot, Kinetics, Casey, and 2010 Rotherham’s In-House Service Provider.

All affected residents will receive communication detailing what works will take place and when. Further areas will receive improvements from May 2010 – specific areas are still to be agreed.

Work on the scheme is due to continue until March 2011. Consultation will continue throughout the scheme to ensure any changing priorities are addressed and that value for money is achieved.

We will try to keep disruption to a minimum but there may be periods where vehicles will need to be parked away from the works area.