South Yorkshire Strategy

South Yorkshire is one of the UK’s most distinctive regions: home to world-leading advanced manufacturing, nationally significant clean energy assets, internationally recognised universities, growing cultural and creative industries, and communities with immense strengths and deep pride.

We are already leading in areas such as transport reform, neighbourhood health innovation, clean growth and skills investment. Our challenge is not whether South Yorkshire can succeed, but how we ensure every place and every person benefits from that success.

To do this, we’ve developed the South Yorkshire Strategy (PDF 6.6MB) with over 100 partners. The Strategy will help us ensure every person and every business can access opportunity and thrive in a region where people want to live, work, invest, and visit. It will align partners from across South Yorkshire - Local Authorities, the Mayoral Combined Authority, the NHS, universities and colleges, emergency services, businesses, trade unions, and the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector – around a united vision for the years ahead.

"It isn't a strategy that belongs to SYMCA or any single organisation. It’s a strategy that belongs to South Yorkshire.
"It's our collective commitment to creating a place where every person can stay near and go far, the healthiest region in the country, where every community is connected and proud to call this place home.
"Now the real work begins. The success of the strategy won't be measured by the words on the pages, but by the difference it makes in people's lives over the years ahead. If we continue to work together with the same ambition, energy and determination that got us here, I'm confident South Yorkshire's best days are still ahead of us."
South Yorkshire’s Mayor, Oliver Coppard

Our Three Ambitions

Published in September 2026 and informed by evidence, existing strategies and the expertise of partners across the region, the Strategy sets out three long-term ambitions that describe the future we want to create together. Examples of what people can expect to see in the short term are shown alongside information on how current activities contribute to the longer-term ambitions.