Kate Josephs: Sheffield Council boss ‘must stand down’

The executive govt of Sheffield Metropolis Council must resign over revelations that she hosted a lockdown social gathering, a passe chief of the council has talked about.

Kate Josephs, who led the authorities’s Covid-19 taskforce, held leaving drinks within the Cabinet Region of job in December 2020, it emerged on Friday.

Lord Paul Scriven, Lib Dem chief of Sheffield Council from 2008 to 2011, talked about Ms Josephs must now stand down.

He talked about her admission left him in “disbelief and anger”.

Ms Josephs served as director fashioned of the taskforce accountable for drawing up coronavirus restrictions from July 2020 unless she became chief govt of Sheffield Metropolis Council the next December.

She talked about she became once “no doubt sorry” for joining the drinks reception which is understood to be amongst the events being investigated by senior civil servant Sue Grey.

Ms Josephs talked about she became once co-working entirely with the investigation into gatherings in authorities constructions.

On the time of her Cabinet Region of job departure London became once discipline to restrictions stopping most indoor mixing between those from assorted households.

“Ms Josephs became once the most senior civil servant leading the national Covid taskforce,” Lord Scriven talked about.

“She pre-organised a drinks social gathering on the day 567 folks died.”

Lord Scriven talked about the executive govt had “undermined the title of the metropolis” and “every time she says one thing to strengthen Sheffield’s battle in opposition to Covid or the NHS, no-one will imagine her”.

He added: “I even contain written to Ms Josephs asking her to step down.”

On Friday, Ms Josephs posted an apology for her actions on Twitter, in which she wrote: “On the night of 17 December, I gathered with colleagues that had been at work that day, with drinks, in our disclose of enterprise within the Cabinet Region of job to sign my leaving the Civil Service.

“I am no doubt sorry that I did this and for the anger that folks will feel as a consequence.”

Talking after Ms Josephs’ admission, Sheffield Metropolis Council’s chief, Terry Fox, expressed his “deep disappointment… after every part Sheffield has been by at some level of the pandemic”.

“Folks will rightly feel infected and let down. I gain that entirely,” he talked about.

He talked about Ms Josephs had been an “asset” to the metropolis for the closing 300 and sixty five days but talked about residents’ questions would would possibly perchance also merely aloof be addressed.