We are delighted to see the West Yorkshire VCSE Advisory Group announced, with Wakefield District represented by Simon Topham (Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Wakefield District) and Maddy Sutcliffe (CEO of Nova) as a local infrastructure organisation representative.

An important part of our work is providing a platform for our sector to be heard and valued. We are thrilled to see this happen on a regional scale, in recognition of the essential role our sector has in supporting communities and the insight and expertise this brings.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said "For too long, these organisations have been left to pick up the pieces without ever being asked what they think."

The Advisory Group will change this.

14 senior leaders from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector will meet regularly with the Mayor and senior officials, creating a strategic point of contact for the VCSE sector. They will:

• Shape regional priorities from the start, working with the Mayor and the Combined Authority’s leadership rather than responding to decisions only after they are made
• Speak for the whole sector – not for individual organisations – with members drawn from all five districts plus region-wide roles covering equalities, community wellbeing and funding
• Test and challenge policies on transport, economic growth, housing, skills, climate action and safer communities to ensure they work for everybody
• Carry community insight into the room so that regional decisions are better informed by what people are actually experiencing, from skills courses that aren’t tailored to individuals’ needs, to bus routes that don’t get people to the start of their shift on time, to homes that are cold and draughty and need cost-saving improvements urgently.

The group will advise the Mayor directly on her approach to employment, skills, housing, transport, community safety and other areas, to bring decision-making closer to the places hit hardest by the affordability crisis, and the people most impacted by inequalities relating to income, health, disability, race or gender identity.

The Advisory Group was set up in partnership with the VCSE sector and Nova is proud to have been part of this new development.

Why does this matter?

Tracy Brabin said:

“The people who truly understand what our communities are going through aren’t in government – they’re in the community centre, the advice service and the food bank, working with some of our poorest and most vulnerable residents.

“They can see which places are struggling the most and which people need that extra bit of support. For too long, these organisations have been left to pick up the pieces without ever being asked what they think.  

“We’re determined to change that in West Yorkshire, so we can make life easier for those who find it the hardest. I believe the fastest and most effective way to do that is to work in partnership with those on the frontline to build a brighter region that works for all.”

The group will be chaired by Alison Haskins, Chief Executive of the Halifax Opportunities Trust. Alison said:

“The voluntary and community sector is a crucial part of life in West Yorkshire. There are thousands of charities and community groups working on the front line in neighbourhoods across this region which are bursting with ideas and knowledge about how the Combined Authority can ensure its activities are best delivered and focussed.

“The VCSE Advisory Group represents an incredible sector that is often overlooked and under-valued, so we are really pleased that this Group has been created and excited to bring our combined experience and deep connections within local communities to the regional table.”

What does the VCSE sector look like regionally?  

The region’s VCSE sector is made up of around 5,700 registered organisations and an estimated 7,400 unregistered community and charitable groups, supported by approximately 126,000 volunteers and 32,000 employees. Together, they contribute an estimated £5 billion a year to the economy and society of West Yorkshire.

How was the Advisory Group created?

The Advisory Group was created following a 2025 workshop between the Combined Authority, the region’s five councils and the five local infrastructure organisations, including Nova, which tested the strength of the relationship between the sector and the Combined Authority across collaboration, involvement, investment and how far the sector is embedded in decision-making. The partnership then worked to design a formal route through which VCSE leaders can influence regional policymaking.

This was followed by an open recruitment process that attracted strong interest from across the region’s voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. Members were appointed from each of the five districts and from thematic areas, alongside the five local infrastructure organisations that support grassroots groups in each district.

Who are the members?

Chair

Alison Haskins, Chief Executive of the Halifax Opportunities Trust

District representatives

• Carlton Smith, Chief Executive of Bradford Trident (Bradford)  
• Harriet Fletcher, Director of Everybody Arts (Calderdale)  
• Chloë Whitehead, Chief Executive of Proper Job Theatre Company (Kirklees)  
• Shanaz Gul, Associate Director of Organisational Development GIPSIL (Leeds)  
• Simon Topham, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Wakefield District (Wakefield)  

Thematic representatives

• Humma Nizami, Chief Executive of the Race Equality Network (equalities)  
• Louise Forrest, Director of Development and Partnerships at GIPSIL (community wellbeing)  
• Natasha Babar-Evans, Chief Executive of Better Connect (funding)  

Local infrastructure organisation representatives

• Soo Nevison, Chief Executive of Community Action Bradford & District
• Julie Robinson, Chief Executive of Calderdale-based Voluntary & Community
• Angela Galvin, Chief Executive of Third Sector Leaders Kirklees
• Anna Martin, Chief Executive of Voluntary Action Leeds
• Maddy Sutcliffe, Chief Executive of Nova Wakefield District

What’s next?

The first meeting of the VCSE Advisory Group took place on 11 September 2026, with members setting out the issues they want the Combined Authority to focus on.

They’ll meet quarterly to provide advice, insight and challenge on the Combined Authority’s core priorities, including:

• Developing an integrated transport system that works for all communities
• Supporting a regional economy that delivers inclusive growth
• Tackling the climate emergency and helping create a net zero carbon region
• Creating safe, cohesive and thriving communities

We look forward to sharing more as the Advisory Group gets going.