Former lifeguard Adam Hill (above) has come home to breathe even more new life into Mansfield as the district council’s chief executive.

And the former deputy chief executive at Swansea Council says Mansfield is a jewel in the Nottinghamshire crown that needs to be shown off.

“Mansfield was my local authority when I was growing up, so this is a sort of coming home. Mansfield gave me my first job over 33 years ago as a lifeguard and swimming instructor.

“Hopefully, with the help of our workforce, I can make that positive change to better where we are. Mansfield has been through exciting changes already.

“I want to galvanise and make it even better.”

Adam, who has also previously worked at Ashfield District Council, added: “I have lots of aspirations for Mansfield — and it’s one of the key areas from our strategy I want to hone in on.

“Mansfield has so much going for itself already — brilliant parks, great architecture, and business growth. We are the jewel in the crown of Nottinghamshire, so we need to show it off.

“We need to be out there on a national and international level, showcasing that Mansfield is the place to be for the future.

“Mansfield is known as the entrepreneurial capital, so let’s shout about that and make sure our young people have the aspiration, ambition, skills, and access to the education they need to make sure it is achievable for them.

“In the short-term, I want to ensure we play our role in offering our residents any post-pandemic support they need, and ask them to get in touch with us as we go through this cost of living crisis so we signpost and advise on how help and support can be obtained. In the medium-term, I want us to capitalise on our partnerships, and develop our people’s skills and businesses to attract more investment into the area.

“In the long-term, I want us to play a lead role in addressing the poverty and energy crisis by looking how we can lead and engage on the carbon reduction and climate change agenda, encouraging more energy-efficient housing and encouraging new technologies that can be used to retrofit ours and private sector to make people’s lives better and more self-sustainable. I want to also upskill our workforce to make them ready for the next opportunities coming our way.”