This week Sheffield City Council has allocated £35,000 of total funding to local area committees for celebrations over the weekend to mark King Charles’s Coronation.

Residents can apply for a part of the funding to host their own celebrations. A council statement encouraged the funds to be spent on refreshments and decorations.

Plans have also been passed to host a big screen party around the Peace Gardens for the event over the weekend.

The council has also set up a scheme that encourages road closures for the weekend, this would allow for street parties to be conducted in a safer manner.

A total of £5,000 has been allocated to each of the seven Local Area Committees that cover the city of Sheffield.

Questions have been raised by some members of the public over the importance of the event during a cost of living crisis.

Andrew Jones, 33, of Alma Street has lived in Sheffield all his life and spoke about his concerns about the use of taxpayers money to fund this celebration.

“I’m not a fan of the royals anyway, but to host all these events while most of us are struggling to make ends meet is a joke” he said.

“Where was this £5,000 when the people really needed it, why should the monarchy take priority over its own people, it’s outdated and it’s time for it to go”.

On the other hand, Archie Hill, 19, a student at the University of Sheffield spoke about how he’s glad to see taxpayers money being recirculated for community events.

“It will be great for local businesses and supporting our community, in recent years we have spent so much money on recovering from the lockdowns it’s time for us to celebrate as a country”

https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/campaigns/coronation-of-king-charles  has been set up by the council to help constituents plan their weekend if they choose to take part in the event. 

Councillor Terry Fox said in a statement: “We’re also encouraging people to host their own street parties, where we will support you with road closures, there’s the Coronation Big Lunch on 7 May where communities can come together to celebrate and on 8 May is the Big Help Out, encouraging everyone to get involved with volunteering – we will be supporting communities to celebrate all three of these events.”