Sustainable Development Board

The Sustainable Development Board is an advisory panel established to provide expert and authoritative guidance on sustainable development to the Assembly, the Regional Executive Board and the other Regional Boards.

The Sustainable Development Board is charged with acting independently and providing constructive, robust and insightful advice.

The Sustainable Development Board works closely with the Scrutiny Board to ensure effective challenge across the regional structures also addresses sustainable development.

What does it do?

The Sustainable Development Board:

• Prepares and presents advice on the sustainable development implications of issues being considered by the Assembly, the Regional Executive Board and the Housing, Planning and Transport Boards;
• Reviews and comments on the region’s performance on sustainable development;
• Identifies, investigates and reports on key issues affecting regional sustainable development performance;
• Provides support to the scrutiny board to ensure that sustainability issues (including quality of life and social inclusion) are addressed in the scrutiny process;
• Evaluates the effectiveness of advice on sustainability given to regional boards and the integration of sustainability appraisals on major regional policies, strategies and programmes; and
• Liaises with the UK Sustainable Development Commission.

How does it work?

The Sustainable Development Board is required to retain an ‘independent’ role in the region and therefore reports to each of the full Assembly, the Regional Executive Board and the Functional Boards, as it considers appropriate, to deliver the key tasks listed above and in line with the Assembly business plan. It provides an annual report to the Regional Executive Board.

How often does it meet?

The Sustainable Development Board normally meets four times a year. All meeting agendas, papers and minutes are available from the Assembly’s website.

Over the past year, the Sustainable Dvelopment Board has...

• Helped oversee development of the emerging Integrated Regional Framework (IRF);
• Overseen work to support local authorities monitor and measure emissions;
• Initiated a major piece of work on a Regional Adaptation Study on Climate Change;
• Supported the work of the Regional Energy Forum;
• Contributed to the Assembly’s Rural and Climate Change scrutiny reviews through a nominated SD Board member.
  

What are the priorities for this year?

• Ensure SD and climate change “challenge’’ in policy development in housing, planning and transport;
• Launch the IRF and implement it through the Assembly strategy review and implementation work;
• Complete and roll out the Regional Adaptation Study on Climate Change to local government and other regional partners;
• Consider and develop arrangements for the future of sustainable development function post SNR

Who's involved?

The Chair and Deputy are Members of the Assembly, one is a Local Authority member and the other is a Social, Economic and Environmental Partner member. The Chair of the Board for 2008/09 is Cllr Arthur Barker from Hambleton District Council, and the Deputy is Naheed Arshad-Mather from the BME Regional Panel. The other members of the Board are not necessarily Assembly members and include independent sustainable development experts secured through public advertisement. The Local Authority representatives are nominated by the sub regional partnerships.

Who supports the board at the Assembly?

The work of the Sustainable Development Board is supported and complemented by a Technical Advisory Group that engages sustainability practitioners from partner organisations across the region.