Sue Gray report: What next for Sheffield Council chief executive Kate Josephs after publication?

Chief executive Kate Josephs is reported to have already been fined by the Metropolitan Police over a leaving do which was held for her when she left her previous job in Whitehall.

An independent report into the situation has been commissioned by Sheffield Council and is expected to be published imminently, before a cross party panel of councillors decides what to do next.

Ms Josephs is currently on gardening leave on full pay until her future is decided at the council.

The Metropolitan Police investigated a party that she attended at the Cabinet Office on December 17, 2020, when she was working as director general of the Covid Taskforce and held leaving drinks before starting her new role at Sheffield Council. She is reported to have received a fine.

She is currently on paid leave from her £190,000 job.

Ms Josephs released a statement and apologised just minutes before a national newspaper published the story that she had been involved with a lockdown party, with the story published on January 14.

She had previously denied to local journalists that she had been involved in any Downing Street parties.

Her statement said she had gathered with colleagues that were at work that day but it was later revealed an email was sent to 40 guests.

The question now is whether she will remain in her Sheffield Council job or leave.

Although national reaction to the Gray report is likely to revolve around the future of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the document may also provide more background for those who are making the decisions over Ms Josephs at Town Hall.

There seem to be three possibilities.

The first is that Ms Josephs returns to her job and continues as before.

Regardless of the findings of the Sue Gray report, the council’s own independent report, expected to be published in the coming weeks will be important in this decision, but it is possible any revelations in the Gray report could influence the cross party panel which will make the decision.

MPs Clive Betts and Miriam Cates have already stated their support for Ms Josephs returning to her job.

The second option is that she could be sacked. Employment lawyer Jay Bhayani, of Bhayani HR and Employment Law, recently told the Star that may be difficult because it did not happen here, although there may be a clause in her contract about bringing the council into disrepute. It is possibly then that embarrassing revelations in the Gray report could affect that.

Another possibility would be that Ms Josephs receives either an unofficial telling off for the incident, or an official warning. Again, it is possible that the Gray report could affect the thinking of the panel.

Another fourth possibility is that Ms Josephs could resign from the job over the scandal. When The Star vox popped readers on the issue they said she should resign. There has been no sign of any intent to do that so far and it is now five months since the allegations first surfaced.