The Barnsley Town Board met to discuss the 10-Year Vision and 4-Year Regeneration Plan, alongside options for community consultation and engagement. They also considered the Barnsley Destination Management Plan and the renewal of the Purple Flag accreditation. The board also followed up on actions from the previous meeting.

Plan for Neighbourhoods

The board was scheduled to discuss the 10-Year Vision and 4-Year Regeneration Plan, which are due to be submitted to the government by 28 November. The programme has three strategic objectives: thriving places, stronger communities, and taking back control. The report pack noted that current projects are being reviewed for alignment with new guidance.

The board was also scheduled to discuss options for consultation and engagement with the public on the Plan for Neighbourhoods programme. The consultation strategy was expected to focus on creative consultation methods to engage hard-to-reach groups, and broaden engagement using partnerships and targeted approaches to include groups not normally consulted. Successful consultation methods are intended to be rolled out to larger audiences from March 2026, with feedback received during phase one of consultation informing the submission.

Barnsley Destination Management Plan

The board was scheduled to discuss the Barnsley Destination Management Plan, a five-year plan to shape tourism and the visitor economy of the borough. The plan uses economic data to understand tourism's impact and focuses on enhancing visitor experiences and local pride.

Purple Flag

The board was scheduled to receive an update on the process of securing Purple Flag¹ accreditation for the Evening and Night-Time Economy in Barnsley town centre for the sixth year. The Purple Flag is run by the Association of Town & City Management and recognises excellent standards in the evening and night-time economy. The report pack stated that Programme & Place Management are coordinating the Purple Flag Partnership, with a draft submission for gateway approval to the board in September, submission to the ATCM in October, and peer assessment in November.

Pathways to Work

The board was scheduled to discuss the Pathways to Work programme, which aims to address labour market shortages by supporting job seekers through training, mentoring, and job placements. Initiatives focus on helping economically inactive people return to work, with a target of placing 400 people into employment.

Actions from the Previous Meeting

The board was scheduled to review the action log from the previous meeting, including updates on:

• Updating declaration of interest forms.
• Updating and resharing the mapping exercise capturing BMBC² investment in the town centre, applying to the Plan for Neighbourhood themes to demonstrate activity across themes not represented in the 4-Year Regeneration Plan.
• Outlining a mechanism for assessing and evaluating new project ideas for the board to consider for unallocated budget, possibly including thematic sub-groups to review and challenge project development.
• Reviewing the consultation exercise from the 3-Year Investment Plan, updating the list of available information to include the last 12-18 months, and sharing findings with the Consultation Task and Finish Group, led by Dan Winder.
• Circulating the draft Barnsley Destination Management Plan to the board for feedback.
• Including a town centre tour of the project sites the morning of the next board meeting, with Councillor Janine Moyes, Cabinet Support Member - Regeneration and Culture, supporting coordination and delivery.