By The Tenant Involvement Team
As part of our contract with RMBC we are asked to organise and help deliver focus groups throughout the year. Rotherham Council is currently reviewing and updating its Financial Inclusion Plan. This focus group is to get the views, experiences and ideas to help shape the plan, from Rotherham residents. Rotherfed invited three council tenants to the session and other tenants/residents could book onto the Focus Group by contacting Christine Batchford through the Social Supermarket.
The Focus Group was held on Wednesday 20 August 2025 from 11am until 12.30pm at the Rotherham Minister. The session was delivered by Rotherfed and Jackie Cobb, RMBC’s Financial Inclusion Manager. Ten residents attended the focus group and of the ten, nine of them were council tenants. Jackie explained that the last Financial Inclusion Plan was launched in 2017, and they are now revising the plan which will be in place for the next 3 years. The council wants to continue to ensure that no individual or family is left behind. Jackie distributed the Financial Inclusion Plan and a discussion then took place regarding it. Residents gave their experiences, views and ideas on various things including Household/Energy Crisis, Social Supermarket, RMBC website and the wait times when they ring the council, Rothercard, pension credit, Employment Solutions Team etc.
It was a fantastic session, and everyone present, participated in it, which was good to see. RMBC found it very useful and got out of it what they needed to help shape the future plan. For Rotherfed it was also very positive and great that nine council tenants attended. This is the first focus group that has not been housing related and has been held in a completely different location, and we feel the Minister worked well as it made people feel more at ease and more willing to get involved and participate.
It was an excellent focus group all round. Each person who attended received a £10 Tesco voucher thanking them for their time.
