Safe and Proud City
People tell us they feel less safe than they used to — not just because of burglaries or off-road bikes, but because of the slow drift of neglect. Litter that stays. Graffiti that spreads. High streets where enforcement has given up. When a neighbourhood stops feeling cared for, people stop feeling valued.
We cannot promise to eliminate crime. We are promising to take it seriously — every ward, every street, without excuses.
We have already delivered Sheffield’s first city centre Public Spaces Protection Order, giving enforcement teams new powers to tackle the disorder residents had been reporting for years. We’ve helped establish a new way of working which will see more people fined for litter and dog fouling offences. That is what Liberal Democrat influence looks like in practice. There is more to do, and we intend to do it.
Why This Matters for Our Principles
Getting the basics right — a council that works for you
Keeping neighbourhoods safe and clean is one of the most fundamental responsibilities of the council. When residents report the same issues repeatedly without seeing change, trust quickly breaks down. Getting the basics right here means consistent enforcement, faster responses, and clear accountability when things are not done properly. It also means making it easy for residents to report problems and know what will happen next.
Pride in Sheffield
Pride in Sheffield is built street by street and community by community. Well-kept neighbourhoods and thriving local high streets shape how people talk about their city and how they feel living in it. Tackling neglect and disorder is about backing communities, supporting good local businesses, and showing that pride in Sheffield extends to every part of the city — not just the centre.
Opportunity for all
When people do not feel safe, their world shrinks. They stop going out in the evening, avoid public spaces, keep children closer to home. That cost falls hardest on those with least — older residents, women travelling alone, young people with nowhere else to go. Fear is not just an inconvenience; it is a barrier to opportunity. Safe, well-kept neighbourhoods are the foundation on which people build connections, take chances and participate in the life of their city.
Key Changes:
• Cleaner streets, every week — tackling litter, graffiti and fly-tipping before they pile up, and properly backing the community volunteers who already help keep our neighbourhoods tidy.
• Stronger action on anti-social behaviour hotspots — including off-road bikes, working with police and communities to have an ASB action plan for every ward.
• Firmer enforcement on poor-quality premises and neglected shopfronts — using every available power to hold landlords and owners to account.
• Target illegal vape stores and organised shoplifting — with dedicated enforcement resource and a Sheffield Retail Crime Partnership.
• A city centre you feel safe in — day and night, for shopping, socialising and getting home, building on the PSPO and making sure it delivers.