About the Council

We aspires to be a council that leads boldly with purpose and decisiveness, that puts the people and communities of Sheffield at the heart of everything it does, and that works hard to deliver excellence first time, every time.

However, we know that not everyone in Sheffield experiences the city in the same way, and many are not able to benefit from the opportunities and assets we have to offer. The scar of inequality runs deep on almost every conceivable measure, and too many people in the city live in poverty.  We also have many complex local, national and global challenges to grapple with. Whilst not unique to Sheffield, twelve years of austerity and reducing budgets have come at substantial cost to the city and its people.  Our economy under-performs compared to the national average and while rapidly transforming, our city centre remains underpowered for a place the size of Sheffield and does not provide the role that the wider city region needs of it.  We must respond to the threat of catastrophic climate change at the same time as supporting the city to rebuild following the Covid-19 pandemic and be resilient in the face of the cost-of-living crisis. 

Last year, we began to take a new path through a One Year Plan which gave the organisation purpose and strategic focus as we worked with and supported the city to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. We've built on the focus and confidence this Plan gave us, delivering 75% of the commitments outlined. We are now embarking on a four-year improvement journey, starting with our Delivery Plan 2022/23. This improvement journey is built on six strategic goals that are underpinned by our ambitions to be a good council that delivers high quality services for all our citizens.

	Fair, inclusive and empowered communities Sheffielders contribute to and shape the issues that matter to them in their communities and their city.
	Strong and connected neighbourhoods which people are happy to call home Sheffielders live in clean, vibrant and caring communities where people feel safe and are treated with respect. More people have access to good homes, reliable transport, and the key local amenities they need to live their day-to-day lives.
	Tackling inequalities and supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis Sheffielders live in a city where inequality and discrimination are actively challenged, respect and diversity are valued and we strive to make our economy and our city work better for everyone.
	Happy young people who have the start they need for the future they want Young Sheffielders are happy, safe and have the opportunities they need to be fulfilled and reach their potential in a changing world.
	Healthy lives and wellbeing for all Sheffielders have the opportunity to lead long, healthy, active and happy lives and can connect to the right health and wellbeing support at the right time.
	Clean economic growth Sheffield seizes on the opportunity for clean, sustainable and inclusive growth and supports an innovative and creative city economy with thriving businesses and good jobs.
	A good council As an employer and leader in the city, we need to aspire to be an outstanding organisation; a council that all Elected Members, staff and citizens can be proud of. High quality services for all Sheffielders in every part of the city can access consistently high-quality council services when and where they need them.

Our values

Our values have been developed by employees, for employees. They guide how we do things each day, individually and together, irrespective of our role or location, helping to make our organisation a positive and productive place to work.

• People are at the heart of what we do
  • We respect and support people
  •  We listen to people to understand what matters to them
  •  We treat people as individuals and value diversity
  • We promote equality and challenge discrimination
  • Openness and honesty are important to us
  • Together we get things done 

• Openness and honesty are important to us
  • We communicate in a clear timely and effective way
  • We create an environment where people can speak up
  • We discuss challenges and work together to address them
  • We explain what we can and can't do
  • We share information and learning

• Together we get things done
  • We all work to achieve the Council's priorities
  • We actively include diverse views to guide our work
  • We are adaptable and productive
  • We improve what we do for the people we work for and with
  • We take pride in doing our work well

Watch the short video message from our Chief Executive, Kate Josephs, to hear more about our values and what they mean for us: 

Equality, Fairness and Inclusion

Promoting fairness and tackling inequality are at the heart of our values as an organisation. As a council we want to provide high quality and accessible services that deliver what matters most to our diverse communities. We also want our workplace culture to promote and embrace equality, fairness and inclusion.

Read our equality objectives 2019-23

Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy sets out our equality commitments to the people of Sheffield and our staff and how we will meet them.

Download our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy

Our Annual Equalities Report 2021-22 summarises our actions and progress on improving equality.

Read our Annual Equalities Report 2021-22

Our City Centre Strategic Vision

We have ambitious plans for our city centre, which will transform the contribution it makes regionally and nationally. Our vision is for a well-connected, high profile city centre with a quality environment that supports business, employment, residential and cultural opportunities. The city centre will be a hub for learning, employment, and highly skilled jobs but also a place where people can live.

Our City Centre Vision sets out our plans to create a thriving, liveable and sustainable city centre. New homes and neighbourhoods will deliver housing-led growth, with supporting investment vital to creating places where people want to live.

Download our City Centre Strategic Vision