Our management team

Our council is structured into five directorates:

  • Adults and Communities
  • Children's Services
  • Place
  • Core Services
  • Public Health

Our senior management team (SMT) is led by Sarah Norman, the Chief Executive of Barnsley Council.

SMT is responsible for making sure that policies approved and decisions made by councillors are implemented effectively. Issues that go to SMT that require a political decision then go onto Cabinet and where necessary onto a meeting of Full Council.

You can find an overview of our leadership team below.

Sarah Norman

Sarah Norman

Our Chief Executive

You can contact Sarah Norman by emailing sarahnorman@barnsley.gov.uk

Wendy Lowder

Wendy Lowder

Place, Health and Adult Social Care - Executive Director

• Adult and Wellbeing – Julie Chapman (Service Director)

Carly Speechley

Carly Speechley

Children’s Services – Executive Director - joins from July 2022

• Children’s Social Care and Safeguarding - Sophie Wales (Service Director and interim Children's Services Executive Director)
• Education, Early Start and Prevention – Nina Sleight (Service Director)

Shokat Lal

Shokat Lal

Core Services - Executive Director

• Business Improvement, HR and Communication – Michael Potter (Service Director)
• Customer, Information and Digital Services – David Robinson (Service Director)
• Financial Services – Neil Copley (Service Director)
• Law and Governance and Chief Monitoring Officer - Sukdave Ghuman (Service Director) - joins from July 2022

Matt O’Neill

Matt O’Neill

Place – Executive Director

• Environment and Transport – Paul Castle (Service Director)
• Regeneration and Culture – Kathy McArdle (Service Director)

Julia Burrows

Julia Burrows

Public Health – Director of Public Health

• Public Health – Carrie Abbott (Service Director)
• Stronger, Safer and Healthier Communities – Phil Hollingsworth (Service Director)