The Dearne Valley Special Board

 

The Dearne Valley Special Board was established in November 2007 and is chaired by John Healey, the local MP for Wentworth and Dearne.

 

The Board is made up of senior politicians and officers from the four local authorities in South Yorkshire and a range of organizations who operate and provide services in the Dearne such as SYPTE, Yorkshire Forward, the Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber, JobCentre Plus, the Environment Agency, Dearne Valley College and latterly the Dearne Valley Education Partnership.

 

Originally the Special Board reported to the Sheffield City Region Forum and as such the work of the Board was set within the context of the City Region, not just South Yorkshire. The Dearne Valley has now been identified as a key priority area as part of the emerging Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership arrangements.

 

The remit of the Special Board is to oversee the strategic development of the Dearne Valley including the creation of a vision for the Dearne, backed up by the delivery of strategic plans and interventions.

 

The Dearne Valley Executive Group provides advice to the Special Board and commissions specific pieces of work, as directed by the Board. A number of themed working groups operate underneath the Dearne Valley Executive Group including priority theme task groups for Community and Housing, the Economy and the Environment, as well as the Communications and Engagement Group.

 

An Ecological Audit Panel has been set up. This is made up of a small number of national environmental experts appointed as scrutineers and critical friends to help us with the development of projects and programmes to deliver the Dearne Valley Eco-Vision.

 

A Dearne Valley Business Forum has been established and a Community Champions network is also being developed to engage with organisations and individuals in the Dearne Valley.