About our team

Diane Southam is the Assistant Director for Place, Enterprise and Communities and has overall responsibility for delivery of the Hemel Town Centre Vision and Hemel Place Strategy, ensuring transformation of Hemel Hempstead as a place. Diane is working with a range of strategic stakeholders to attract new inward investment opportunities into the area, reinvigorate the Hemel Town Centre Vision and is overseeing the development of the Hemel Place Strategy Delivery Plan. Prior to her role at Dacorum, Diane was Head of Economic Development at the London Borough of Haringey and led on regeneration plans for North Tottenham and Broadwater Farm. She has a wealth of regeneration and economic development experience within a local government setting.

Bob Lane, OBE is the Independent Chair of the Hemel Place Board. Bob has a wealth of experience of implementing regeneration and growth projects in Merseyside and Northamptonshire and extensive knowledge of both the private and public sector. A wide ranging non-executive career has included Ebbsfleet Urban Development Corporation, the Homes and Communities Agency (now Homes England), the Port of Dover and the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation. Bob Lane is the Independent Chair of Hemel Garden Communities, becoming the Independent Chair of both boards is welcomed as the Hemel Place Board and Hemel Garden Communities Board both aim to support growth whilst transforming the lives of existing residents.