Is the future of protests at Sheffield Council meetings holding placards up in our own homes?

Is the future of protests holding placards up in our living room?
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Before the pandemic, the monthly meeting of Sheffield full council was always lively and a great chance to see democracy in action.

There would be a packed gallery, several members of the public speaking and petitioning from the chamber floor and the occasional protests with placards outside the Town Hall.

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Councillors would trade barbs, there would be pantomime booing and cheering and the Green Party had a penchant for wearing matching t-shirts with slogans.

Liberal Democrat councillors used their video backgrounds to protest during a council meetingLiberal Democrat councillors used their video backgrounds to protest during a council meeting
Liberal Democrat councillors used their video backgrounds to protest during a council meeting

Since meetings went online last autumn, they’ve become somewhat sanitised and the only raised voice you hear now is someone being told they are on mute.

But at the most recent full council meeting, we did see a glimmer of the old days when the meeting erupted with an online protest, interruptions and a volley of points of order.

It all started when Labour Lord Mayor Tony Downing announced members of the public couldn’t read out their own questions.

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He said with two petitions and 38 questions to get through in a time limit, it would be easier for officers to read the questions out instead.

Councillor Joe Otten switched his backdrop during a briefing on CovidCouncillor Joe Otten switched his backdrop during a briefing on Covid
Councillor Joe Otten switched his backdrop during a briefing on Covid

“Ensuring that elected representatives are answerable to members of the public is a key part of full council,” he said.

“However, it should be noted that the meeting is scheduled for three and a half hours, with many other items on the agenda.

“I want to ensure that every one of the public questions is addressed and given time for proper answers.

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“Given the logistics of hosting a virtual meeting – it takes time to admit each member of the public into the meeting to ask their question – I do not want to see public questions only asked on a first come first serve basis.

Ahead of the meeting Green Party councillors used coordinated backdropsAhead of the meeting Green Party councillors used coordinated backdrops
Ahead of the meeting Green Party councillors used coordinated backdrops

“I have decided that officers shall read each public question on behalf of the questioner. This will ensure a more streamlined process and, crucially, more time for an answer.”

Lib Dem Leader Coun Shaffaq Mohammed said there were “incredibly important” questions from the public including ones about housing repairs, road safety and people with learning disabilities.

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“This is totally outrageous and unacceptable. Councillors work for the public and the public have a right to ask their own questions of councillors,” he said.

“The public taking part in our council meetings is not only a cornerstone of democracy, it’s also the right thing to do, it’s about respect. Should the council not hear from these people?

“The Ombudsman report last year highlighted the necessity for the council to act with openness – the council have done the opposite. Despite a change of leadership, it’s sadly a case of doing anything possible not to hear from the public.”

Green councillor Alison Teal accused Labour of “authoritarian behaviour”.

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She said: “When the pandemic began Labour prevented opposition councillors from proposing motions saying there was no time to allow us to speak. Now they are preventing the public from having a voice too.

“The Labour Cabinet needs to ask themselves why more members of the public are engaging via full council. Could it be that residents want a participatory democracy, and want all of their representatives to have a voice?”

Jordanthorpe resident Connor Shreeves was going to ask about his council flat which is covered in mould and making his physical and mental health worse.

He said “It’s a joke. What’s the point in inviting people to join to ask questions and then change it last minute?”

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Ruth Hubbard, of the It’s Our City campaign, withdrew her questions in protest: “They were written for me to read, not someone else – I would have written them quite differently for someone else to read. It turns out the questions were mostly paraphrased when read by officers.”

The Lib Dems took their annoyance one step further by blanking their screens with placards and backgrounds saying: “Stop gagging the public on questions”

This then prompted complaints from Labour.

Coun Mazher Iqbal said: “We do not allow placards in the council chamber and the same principle should apply here.”

Coun Mick Rooney added: “This looks like a staged gimmick which has been pre-arranged. This has to stop because it’s putting our reputation at risk and is quite disgusting.”

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The Lord Mayor said he couldn’t tell people what to do in their own homes but he would appreciate it if the placards were removed – which they were.

But there were more onscreen political backdrops. The Green Party tweeted its councillors with a matching background calling for “Climate Action Now” although they didn’t display it during the meeting.

And lone Lib Dem Joe Otten changed his backdrop again during a briefing from Director of Public Health Greg Fell – reminding viewers of the “hands, face, space” advice.

There is no doubt chairing a mass video call with 80-plus councillors and officers, and bringing in members of the public for five minute slots, is difficult.

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But with social distancing in place for the foreseeable future, it will be a long time before there’s a return to a packed council chamber.

New Council Leader Bob Johnson and new chief executive Kate Josephs certainly had an animated start to their inaugural full council but they will need to decide how meetings are managed in future at a time when people have more questions than ever – and there are no rules about protesting in your own living room.