Editor: Good leaders needed more than ever for a bright future

It isn’t rocket science, in fact you only have to talk to any of the half a million frustrated people who live here to know that. We are annoyed and fed up about many things but the council often comes top of the list.

To be completely fair, the big mysterious ‘they’ are often blamed for things which are not at all their responsibility – but there is also much which they must improve.

I may have written this a million times over the years but our city has been overtaken by its neighbours in too many areas for there not to be a serious problem. I’m not saying that is necessarily political but it is a fact. So if you give Sheffielders a chance for something different, of course they will grab it with both hands. We have a wonderfully rich history of protest and anybody who underestimates that, only has to look in the history books.

The fact remains, it is our council. Officers and councillors’ roles exist only to serve the people of Sheffield and that will always be the case. That is no easy role considering what diverse neighbourhoods we have and what an enormous city we are but that doesn’t change the local authority’s purpose.

I sincerely hope the huge raft of changes heading towards the town hall make things better for all of us. I hope we can push the fourth biggest city into the proud place on the national map where it should rightly be and I hope our city centre becomes a positive focal point, adored by all our communities.

But we are a long way from that and a mere change in how decisions are made isn’t the be all and end all. In fact, had we had better leadership which listened, last week’s referendum would probably never have even taken place.

It is the people who work in our town hall who still hold all the cards. The individuals we have just elected – regardless of their party – must do all they can to improve Sheffield and we must realise that, unless we unite behind them, they don’t stand a chance.

I’m optimistic and I am still busting with pride of this incredible city of ours but the real work has yet to begin. Bring it on – and quickly, please. The people make this place, inside the town hall and out.