Kate Josephs: 'Minor transgression that does not justify Sheffield losing a really smart, well-connected chief executive' - reader's letter

I strongly disagree with the demand by Lord Paul Scriven, Lib Dem leader of Sheffield Council from 2008 to 2011, for our relatively new chief executive Kate Josephs to resign from her post over her leaving event from Downing Street during the time when collective assembly was discouraged – something for which she has apologised.

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Compared to the failure of others in Downing Street to control their urge to hold numerous celebrations against government advice, this is a relatively minor transgression that does not justify Sheffield losing a really smart, well-connected chief executive.

Kate Josephs Sheffield: Chief executive 'is not suspended' says Council

I wonder whether Lord Scriven has had the benefit of an hour with Ms Josephs, as I have, discussing her views on the need for change in Sheffield?

Having dealt in different capacities as a member of the public with city council departments over many years I have long thought that it needs reorganising to meet the changing requirements of society. After an hour with Ms Josephs I left with high hopes that the council has appointed someone who understands the challenges and is perfectly capable of meeting them.

Perhaps Lord Scriven harks back to his days of the Conservative-Lib-Dem coalition when Nick Clegg was Deputy Prime Minister from 2010 to 2015, but the world has moved on since then and Sheffield needs to change with it. I believe we would be shooting ourselves in the foot if we forced Ms Josephs to leave her post, just as she has begun to modernise our city council management structure into something that is more appropriate in today’s world.

Peter Sephton

Convent Walk, S3