Petition launched calling for new police station in Rossington
Over 1,000 people have signed the petition
A petition calling for a new, fully operational police station in Rossington, Doncaster, has received huge local support, a ward councillor has said.
Labour Councillor Bob Anderson organised a petition with two Rossington residents who would like to see a South Yorkshire Police station return to the village.
He said: “The Government have promised to bring back community policing and that’s what residents want.
“I don’t think people actually mind paying a few quid extra each year if they see a few more bobbies on the beat.”
“It’s a really big local issue,” Cllr Anderson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), adding the petition had amassed over 1,000 signatures in just three sessions in local supermarkets.
Rossington residents want to see the police offices on Station Road returned to an “active police station”, Cllr Anderson said.
“Residents want to see that visible policing and it brings back confidence in the community if they see that,” he added, “The precept will go up and people will want to see improvements to the police service.”
The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), which holds the powers of the region’s police and crime commissioner, confirmed in February 2026, that the police precept portion of council tax would increase by £15-per-year for a Band D property – or £10 for Band A (the majority of properties in South Yorkshire and Doncaster).
Oliver Coppard, the Mayor of South Yorkshire, said the increase would pay to strengthen neighbourhood policing and more visible patrols, and stated it would not be used to cover the £60million black hole discovered in local police finances in 2024.
South Yorkshire Police have received permission from the Government to use money from its reserves to meet day-to-day expenses following the financial error.
Asked if the SYMCA would support calls for an “active” police station in Rossington, Kilvinder Vigurs, deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: “Policing has changed significantly in the years since Rossington Police Station closed to the public. The building is currently used by PCSOs and by non-public facing policing teams. There are no current plans for this to change.
“Modern policing is built around visibility, mobility and responsiveness. Having officers who are agile and have the equipment and technology to be able to work remotely to support the community is much more efficient and cost effective than providing static front desk facilities. South Yorkshire Police has invested considerably in online reporting systems and improved call response times to enable residents to have faster and more convenient ways of contacting them.
“It’s also important to note that the absence of a traditional police station, with a public front desk, in a community does not mean a reduction in policing. Rossington continues to be served by South Yorkshire Police, including its dedicated neighbourhood policing team.”
Ms Vigurs said neighbourhood police officers undertake regular patrols and engage with residents and businesses.
She added: “We want to ensure through our community engagement that South Yorkshire Police continues to maintain a visible and proactive presence in Rossington and across the wider Doncaster district, focused on keeping communities safe, responding to local concerns and working with partners and residents to tackle the issues that matter most.”
The Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones, did not respond when approached by the LDRS.
Nick Fletcher, the 2025 Conservative candidate for Doncaster Mayor, called for a police station to return to Rossington during his time as an MP.
Social media activity from a Rossington and Bawtry ward by-election in 2023, where Fletcher backed the Conservative candidate, shared the return of a police station in the area as a key policy – and the former MP repeated those calls months later during the 2024 election for South Yorkshire Mayor, when Bessacarr ward councillor Nick Allen was the Conservative candidate.