How public meetings work at Sheffield City Council

Public meetings are held at Sheffield Town Hall, including:

• Full Council
• Policy Committee meetings
• Sub-Committee meetings
• Planning and Highways Committee meetings
• Licensing Committee meetings
• Audit and Standards Committee meetings

Local Area Committees

Local Area Committee meetings are held in their local communities.

Webcasts of these meetings can be found at our Webcast Portal.

Attending public meetings at Sheffield City Council

Full Council and formal committee meetings of the Council have to be held as physical meetings and are open to the public.

If you would like to attend a meeting, please report to an Attendant in the Foyer at the Town Hall. You will then be directed to the meeting room.

Town Hall Council Chamber

The Public Gallery in the Town Hall Council Chamber can accommodate 50 persons. An overspill area will be provided in the event if more than 50 attend. The webcast of the meeting will be live streamed to that room.

You can observe the meeting remotely by clicking on the ‘view the webcast’ link provided on the meeting page of the website.

Council meetings and documents

You can find out the dates and times of meetings on our Calendar of meetings.

A copy of the agenda and reports for public meetings are also available on our Committee structure page. You may not be able to see some reports because they contain confidential information. These items are usually marked * on the agenda.

Agenda and reports are available five clear working days before the meeting. A clear working day does not count weekends or bank holidays. This does not include the day that the agenda and reports are dispatched and the day of the meeting. 

Having your say at Council meetings

When attending public meetings, you must behave with courtesy, tolerance and respect at all times to Councillors, Council Officers and other meeting participants.

Any submissions you make should be respectful, factual and relevant.

Public questions and statements

The citizens of Sheffield have a right, set out in the Council’s constitution, to participate in the meetings of Sheffield City Council, our committees and other Council bodies by asking public questions, making statements or bringing forward petitions.

They are one of the means for the public to:

• hold the Council to account
• to get items on public record
• to raise public attention to an opportunity or issue

We want to encourage greater citizen involvement in our city’s democracy. We are committed to ensuring that any citizen can raise a public question (or petition) and to providing an accurate and timely response that answers the question or issue raised.

For further details on public questions and statements, view our Public questions and statements at Council meetings page.

Petitions

We welcome online and paper petitions. We recognise that they are one way in which people can let us know their concerns.

Petitions can be organised or signed by anyone who lives, works or studies in Sheffield. You can read our advice on how to submit or sign a petition at Sign or start a petition.

Accessibility

There are public toilets available, with wheelchair access, on the ground floor of the Town Hall. Induction loop facilities are available in meeting rooms. Access for people with mobility difficulties can be obtained through the ramp on the side to the main Town Hall entrance.

Contact Democratic Services

You can contact us through this page for general enquiries.

For public questions you will need to email publicquestions@sheffield.gov.uk