Rotherham Council is to help residents with energy bills and rent support packages as the cost of living continues to rise. The local authority is bringing forward an £800,000 package of measures to help local people hit hardest by the cost of living crisis. Around 2,000 households in need will be able to claim a £250 grant out of a £500,000 package and a further £300,000 will be used to expand Discretionary Housing Payment support for people struggling with rent payments. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Chris Reed, leader of Rotherham Council.

A new electric shuttle bus service is to be introduced in Sheffield taking passengers to key city centre destinations such as Fargate, the Moor and the train station. Buses are also to be given priority on Arundel Gate to make journeys faster and improve air quality on one of the city’s busiest routes. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Councillor Douglas Johnson, executive member for climate change, environment and transport.

Rotherham Climate Action has teamed up with Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and others to create a new alliance declaring a nature emergency. According to the partners wildlife is facing a critical emergency, with one in four species in the UK now at threat of extinction. Nature Recovery Rotherham has been set up to create awareness and help restore nature and wildlife. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Helen Francis, coordinator for Rotherham Climate Action.

Laws on mobile phones use while driving have changed to make virtually any form of handheld use illegal, including refreshing a screen, taking photos or scrolling. The new rules mean you can only use your device in am emergency when it is unsafe or impractical to stop, when safely parked or to make contactless payments at a drive through. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Joanne Wherle, manager for South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership.

Creative Arts Development Space (CADS) has taken on their 17th building in the city offering low cost office and studio space for artists and creative businesses. The not-for-profit charity aims to provide creative talent in Sheffield with affordable workspace away from home. CADS has taken over the former Go Outdoors office on Arley Street in Highfield. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke Claire Rimmer, manager at CADS.

Sheffield City Trust which runs some of the city’s biggest leisure and entertainment venues is to hand them back to Sheffield Council after receiving a £7 million bailout. Opposition leader Shaffaq Mohammed has called it an end game for the organisation with tax payers to be hit one more time to fill the budget gap. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!