Sheffield Council and South Yorkshire Mayor splash out on PR ‘hiring spree’ amid financial woes

Both Sheffield City Council and South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard are splashing out on a PR “hiring spree”, despite continuing financial woes for local government in the region.

Sheffield City Council is seeking to hire both a director of strategy and communications, as well as a head of communications, with the new roles being advertised for up to £99,000 and £71,000 respectively.

South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, is looking for a new “head of news and media and chief mayoral speechwriter” that will “shape and protect the reputation” of the Mayor personally, and the South Yorkshire Combined Authority- for a salary of up to £62,000.

The position is for 37 hours a week, with a minimum three days each week in the office.

The two roles at Sheffield City Council were first reported by The Sheffield Star. Since they broke the news of the two lucrative jobs, the hiring advertisements have been changed; with the salaries now only listed as “£excellent.”

According to the job adverts, successful applicants to both roles will “make Sheffield shine brighter” and the new head of communications will be responsible for “deftly responsive tactical activity.”

At the end of last year, it was reported that Sheffield City Council had been forced to make £22.4m of savings in an effort to fill a funding gap of £34m. In 2024, the Council was forced to spend £26.1m from its contingency reserves to make ends meet.

The estimated cost for the backlog of repairs to Sheffield City Council buildings is currently sat at £350m.

It has also recently been announced that taxpayers across South Yorkshire will have to cough up £100m in order to get Doncaster Sheffield Airport open again.

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The South Yorkshire Mayor, who in May last year was slated for a £28,000 pay rise, has expressed his hope that the airport will kickstart growth in the region.

Sheffield City Council and Oliver Coppard were contacted for comment.

Featured image via @steelcitysnaps on X and South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.