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Housing

House prices are 74% of the national average. Rotherham has seen smaller falls in house prices in comparative terms but remains a relatively affordable area.

At the 2001 Census Rotherham had 11,060 flats/apartments in the borough, 10.4% of all household spaces. By comparison, Yorkshire & The Humber had 13.0% flats, England & Wales 19.2% and Sheffield 18.6%.

Education

The percentage of pupils in Rotherham achieving 5+ GCSEs at grades A*-C is continually improving. In 2008, 58.1% of pupils achieved this standard.

Recent years have seen an increase in the percent age of Rotherham school leavers entering education, training or employment as a first destination.

Culture

The Forge Island site in the centre of Rotherham is the main focus for a new Cultural Quarter. Proposals for the new Quarter could see the development of a new theatre, museum and library. Plans for a cinema and more bars and restaurants are also proposed.

Live town-centre gatherings facilitated by the BBC Big Screen events (Rotherham`s is the only Big Screen not located in a city).

One of the finest medieval churches in the country, All Saints` Minster, dominates the pedestrianised shopping square in the centre of town.

One of three surviving medieval bridge chapels in England, sits at one of the main gateways into town.

Clifton Park sits at the edge of the town centre, offering picturesque green spaces, and hosts the largest, free, annual show in the north of England. The park has just received over £5m of lottery funding towards improving facilities.

Recreational Activities

An ambitious Private Finance Initiative scheme - believed to be the largest in the country - has replaced 12 small swimming pools with four larger leisure complexes.

The £11m Rotherham Leisure Complex includes pools, an indoor climbing tower, squash courts, fitness suite and dance studio.

Rother Valley Country Park offers water sports, golf and cycle hire, and is a popular tourist attraction, as is the Rotherham walking festival. There are two further country parks in the borough , and we are also just a short drive from the world famous Peak District National Park.

MAGNA - the UK`s first science adventure centre, is a popular attraction for schools and tourists, and an awesome conference and event venue.

Alternative Energy / Environmental Issues

The Dearne Ecovalley is a developing concept for a sustainable community in the heart of South Yorkshire. The project aims to develop an area that enjoys a good quality of life and economic activity, without having a negative impact on the capacity of others including that same community.

Sustainability has social, economic and environmental dimensions - the Dearne Valley will become a national and international exemplar of sustainability with the lowest carbon footprint of any comparable place within ten years and a zero carbon footprint within forty.

This is being achieved through the work of the Sheffield City Region Team and builds on exemplar environmental projects from China to Europe. To make the project a success, residents, businesses and the public sector are engaging at all levels, to develop a sustainable model for the future.