Council finances are getting better, but we’re not out of the woods yet

Dear readers — What a weekend. As we entered the final week of our slightly mad effort to add 1,000 new members in a month, our big campaign really took off. Over the weekend, we added over 100 new members, which is amazing. Welcome to you all and thank you so much to everyone who has joined so far.

However, with just seven days left, it’s still very much touch and go whether we will make it. Our totaliser currently stands at 697 — 303 short of our target of adding 1,000 members by Sunday. If we get there we promise to fulfill the five pledges to Sheffield below. We think these pledges will make Sheffield an even better place than it already is — but we need your help to get there.

Get us to our target

Having almost got to 700, we are sure there are 300 more people out there who could sign up. Is it you? Or if you're already with us — someone you know? Why not sign three friends up and you can have a complimentary Tribune cap: the must have accessory for this summer?

So, on with today's briefing. Budget pressures on Sheffield council have been growing for over a decade. However, in the last few years the situation has become increasingly serious, with overspends reaching more than £30m in 2024/25. Now, a report to be considered by councilors today shows an improving picture. Will it be enough to keep the wolf from the door? That’s today’s big story.

As well as that, we have a lovely home overlooking the Sheaf Valley, a new exhibition of football art at the Millennium Gallery, and sad news of the death of a Sheffield-born politician.

Job alert: Mill Media is hiring a Senior Editor to work on some of our biggest stories and join the most exciting team in British journalism. Please share the link with talented friends.

Breathtaking opera in the Peak District

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Whether you’re a long-time opera lover or looking to try something new this summer, escape the city and head to Buxton for an evening at the opera – grab your tickets below. With over 160 stellar events, there’s a show for everyone.

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In case you missed it

For our weekend read, Victoria interviewed the director and star of the documentary Rose’s House, which had its world premiere at DocFest on Saturday. Rose’s House tells the story of Martine Rose, who bought a run-down terrace in Walkley in 1979 and turned it into one of the UK’s first dedicated spaces for trans people. You can read that piece here.

Martine Rose. Credit: Naomi Abel-Hirsch.

On Tuesday, Dan did another of the Tribune’s (very) occasional food reviews, this time of the student-run The Silver Plate at Sheffield College. As before, he took along Martin Dawes, who in a 30-year-long career at The Star reviewed 1,400 restaurants, only shutting one down in the process. He liked the meal and lots of our members liked the piece. “This article illustrates why I bought a subscription,” wrote Marcus Davies. “Funny, informative and draws the reader's attention to one of Sheffield’s hidden gems. More please.”

And on Thursday, Dan and Mollie travelled to Telford in Shropshire to try to track down Gary and Jade Ata — Sheffield’s most notorious landlords. As well as treating their tenants appallingly, the Atas also own the Grade II-listed Old Town Hall, where the roof has begun to collapse. Sadly, we didn’t manage to track down Gary, but we did find who we think was Jade, which is progress. More on the Atas below…

The big picture: Looking up 🔦

Guided tours of Sheffield train station’s subterranean tunnels to the Megatron — a giant Victorian-era storm drain under Castlegate — have begun again for the year. The picture shows explorers in the culvert below Platform 5 looking up through the new light well which has been installed. You can book your tour with the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust here.

The big story: Council finances are getting better, but we’re not out of the woods yet

Top line: Councillors in Sheffield will today run the rule over the council’s finances for the last financial year, 2025/26. In recent years, the council has been spending far more than it brings in, leading to massive overspends. A new report shows the situation improving, but will it be enough to keep the wolf from the door?

From disastrous to merely bad: A report prepared for councillors on the Finance Committee shows the council’s finances improved significantly in 2025/26.

In 2024/25, Sheffield council’s year end overspend stood at an eye-watering £34.7 million.
However, while last year was a disaster, this year is merely bad. We're still talking about an overspend of £11.1m. Compared to the pre-covid years, that's terrible. The council is still in theory meant to be balancing its budget every year.
The picture is also much better than the mid-year projection, made back in September, of an overspend of £28.2m.

What’s driving it? The report says that the overspends have come from statutory services — services the council must provide by law — like adult social care, children's placements, housing services and special educational needs. Of these, adult social care is by far the biggest, with more people needing support and more expensive care packages. The council says that the deficit has been lowered partly through the use of one-off measures and partly by dipping into their reserves. However, the report notes that they “cannot rely on reserves to fund ongoing pressures”.

New government cash: In December, it was announced that Sheffield council would be receiving a three year funding settlement from the government worth £400 million. This is £25 million more than previously, extra money which should allow the council to further reduce the overspends over the next three years and plan its finances better.

Our take: It’s good news that the council’s budgets have improved, but the fact that an £11m overspend is seen as a qualified success shows just how bad things got. Over the last 18 months, there have been predictions, including from The Tribune, that the council could be forced to issue a section 114 notice, effectively declaring bankruptcy. That now looks increasingly unlikely, but cost pressures are likely to continue for some time to come.

Your Tribune briefing 🗞️

🪦 Lord Roy Hattersley, a Sheffield-born politician who served as deputy leader of the Labour party under Neil Kinnock, has died at the age of 93. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has since honoured him as "a giant of the Labour movement," while a glowing obituary published by the BBC describes him as “one of Labour's cleverest and most articulate post war politicians”. Lord Hattersley briefly worked in a local steel mill before his political career, which began in 1956 when he was elected to Sheffield council.

👗 In yesterday’s Sunday Times, Self Esteem — a Rotherham-born singer who wore a Meadowhall-inspired outfit on the Glastonbury stage — was interviewed about her personal style. She touches on her other favourite festival outfit — a dress made of Boots Advantage cards — her love of jazzy knitwear and her regrettable “indie sleaze” period in her 20s.

🚨 Two women, aged 35 and 54, have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a death in an abandoned restaurant last week. The body of a 55-year-old man was found in a former TGI Fridays diner near Meadowhall on Wednesday evening, discovered by officers responding to reports of suspicious activity. Both women have been released on bail but remain under investigation.

🚗 After our quest for Gary Ata, someone suggested going to take a look in the underground car park beneath the Lightbox, one of Ata's blocks. There we found an Audi R8, which would be worth £150,000 new. But records show it hasn’t passed an MOT since October 2020 and is no longer registered to drive. An expensive purchase, since abandoned to gather dust, there is something of the Ata method about it. We’ve also heard he’s been spotted driving a car with the custom licence plate G7 ATA, seen below parked on a double yellow line.

🍽️ If you enjoyed Dan’s piece about the Silver Plate last week, then you can enjoy another helping, courtesy of Martin Dawes’ blog, offering the story “from my side of the table”. “Once I’d have been expected to sing for my supper by turning in 600 or so polished words and sparkling phrases for the Sheffield Star, which paid the bill,” he writes. “Tonight it’s the Sheffield Tribune footing the bill and all I’m expected to do is provide the one-liners to help reporter Dan Hayes knit together his story.” Let us know if there are any local restaurants you think would make a good spot for their next dinner date!

The weekly Whitworth ✍️

Cartoonist James Whitworth with his take on our efforts to find Gary Ata and his daughter Jade, who many believe may be Sheffield’s worst landlords.

Home of the week 🏡

This immaculately-presented two double bedroom mid-terraced home sandwiched in between Meersbrook and Abbeydale is spread over three floors and has a very large rear garden and a terrace with views over the Sheaf Valley. It is on the market for £299,950.

Things to do 📆

Art 🖼️ On now at the Millennium Gallery just in time for the World Cup is the Football Art Prize, an exhibition of work from more than 60 UK and international artists all focused on “the beautiful game”. This year's winner was Alina Akbar’s video Footwork, with Sheffield-based artist Conor Rogers coming second for his ongoing Betting Slip series, four works from which feature in the exhibition. The exhibition is free and runs until 13 September.

Theatre 🎭 Starting on Wednesday at the Playhouse is the “big-hearted and funny new play” Our Public House. When an entire community spoils their ballots and refuses to vote, a pub on the brink of closure becomes the only place left to talk. As a storm rages, landlady Sanjana, familiar regulars and unexpected guests are thrown together for a night of debate, confession and open mic. Tickets are priced £12-£14 and the show runs until Saturday.

Drink 🍻 On Thursday, join the Wonky Labrador micropub in Nether Green for a “meet the brewer and tap takeover” with Norfolk’s Duration Brewing. On the evening you’ll get to taste seven Duration beers including pales, lagers and much more. There will also be food from Porter Pizza and lots of opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the King’s Lynn-based brewery. Tickets are priced £35 and the event will take place from 7pm-10pm.