- Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council has been selected as one of the first local authorities eligible to receive support from the government’s High Streets Task Force.
- The Task Force will support the Council in their efforts to transform local high streets across Rotherham.
The High Streets Task Force was commissioned by the government in 2019 as part of its Plan for the High Street and in response to recommendations of an expert panel on high streets chaired by the highly successful entrepreneur, Sir John Timpson.
The Task Force will provide an elite team of high street experts to advise local authorities on how to adapt to changing consumer demands, so that their local high streets can continue to thrive in the years ahead.
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council has been selected as one of the first 70 local authorities eligible to receive support from the High Streets Task Force in order to transform local high streets.
This support will be tailored to one specific local high street or centre as decided by the Council to help create the best vision and strategies for the area.
Task Force Experts will consult with local leaders from government, business, and the community to diagnose the issues blocking transformation and to recommend ways to make positive change happen on the high street.
Following a one-day expert visit, each chosen location can request a range of services offered by the Task Force, including expert consultancy, mentoring, visioning or place making workshops, access to local footfall data, and training programmes for place managers and leaders.
Commenting, Alexander Stafford MP said:
“I have been pressing on with my Rother Valley regeneration campaign, a core part of which is dedicated to reviving our local high streets, and I am pleased to welcome the additional support of the government’s High Streets Task Force for communities in and around Rother Valley.
“I am told that High Streets Task Force support will be targeted in areas chosen by local authorities and I hope that Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council will identify high streets in Rother Valley as local priority areas.
"Successful change is created by local communities who have a vision for their high streets and town centres, and as national restrictions ease across England, this extra support will be vital in helping our high streets and local businesses bounce back better from the coronavirus.”