Driven by the flush of success, the people of Sheffield are enjoying the novel experience of councillors going round saying they are sorry at the way some things have been handled, such as the commercial planning process or the fact that the repayment of tram gate fines was delayed.

The administration hit the ground running, ruffling a few bureaucratic feathers along the way with their policy wish list which was judged by some as unreasonable, unthinkable and impossible. But they have to appreciate that ruling the city is not a sprint, but a marathon.

Success will not be judged after 100 days - useful waymark as it may be to measure how they are achieving their goals. The real test is when their achievements are counted in months and years. And the question is whether they have the stamina to keep up the breathtaking speed with which they have set about changing the culture within the town hall and reinforcing their idea of the correct relationship between councillors and officers.

Jail overcrowding must be solved

THE first reaction of many readers to news that Doncaster Prison is one of the 20 most overcrowded jails in England and Wales will be to shrug their shoulders and mutter that jailbirds deserve no sympathy...if they don't like the conditions stay out of trouble. But that ignores the basic right of people - even offenders - to be dealt with decently.

Overcrowding leads to problems which work against the hard work invested into rehabilitating inmates before their release. It also makes the job of prison staff that much harder.

The Government must address this problem and not merely insist only the most dangerous should be behind bars. The public has a right to expect prisons that are capable of dealing with people who don't deserve to be at large.

What do you think? Add your comment below.

READ MORE
More business news
Your letters.
Today's features.
Latest sport.
Main news index.