Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and its partners consult local residents regularly about the services and issues that affect their daily lives. They do this via postal surveys, focus groups, public meetings and consultation events which take place throughout the year.

The council and its partners want to make sure that all communities within Barnsley have the opportunity to tell the Council about the things that affect their daily lives. In order to ensure this happens, the Council would like to set up a panel of residents who belong to Barnsley’s ethnic minority communities. Once the panel is established, it will be run by the Barnsley Black and Minority Ethnic Initiative (BBEMI).

BBEMI is an organisation which aims to ensure the full involvement of Barnsley’s Black and minority ethnic community in the social and economic regeneration of Barnsley, enabling them to realise their full potential in employment, education, health, social/cultural, and or any other interests and or opportunities appropriate to the needs of Barnsley’s Black and minority ethnic community.’ BBEMI supports all BME including those of Irish or Mediterranean origin and east European migrants.

We want to recruit 500 residents for the Barnsley BME Residents panel, aged 16 plus, from a wide range of minority communities across the borough. As a Panel Member you will get the chance to voice your views via a postal survey which you will receive 3 or 4 times a year. You may also be invited to attend group discussions, events and exhibitions. The Panel gives people an opportunity to influence how services are delivered across your borough. You will receive regular feedback about what the results are being used for, and how your views have been taken into account by public service organisations across Barnsley.