Ashfield District Council outgoing chairman, Coun Arnie Hankin, has been succeeded by a former member of the RAF and NATO, Coun David Walters.

Coun Hankin was thanked for his year in office at the council’s annual meeting.

The Selston councillor has raised more than £4,000 for his two chosen charities, Cancer Research UK and The British Heart Foundation, during his year in office.

“It has been an absolute honour and privilege to serve the residents of Ashfield as chairman,” he said. “I have loved every single minute; it has gone far too quickly. I’d like to thank all councillors and council officers for the support they have given me over the last year. A special thank you must go to Coun John Smallridge, who has been a marvellous vice-chairman.”

The new chairman, Coun Walters, was first elected on to the council in 2019. Since then he has represented the council as an Armed Forces Champion, member of the local Civil and Military Partnership Board, governor of Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, member of Nottinghamshire County Council Health and Wellbeing Board, and chairman of the Audit Committee.

Coun Walters retired from the military after serving for decades with the Armed Forces, both in uniform in the Royal Air Force, and as a civilian as part of NATO forces in Europe.

“I am proud to be the new chairman, it is an honour,” he said.

The new vice-chairman, Coun Dale Grounds, has been a prominent figure in the community and is well known as his alter ego, Spiderman. During the pandemic, unable to visit hospitals as Spiderman, Coun Grounds began video calling the children that he would normally have seen in person.

Coun Grounds said: “I will strive to continue to make a difference in the community.”

Pictured is the new chairman of Ashfield District Council, Coun David Walters, with former chairman Coun Arnie Hankin, and the new vice-chairman, Coun Dale Grounds.