Keep up to date with what the Executive Mayor of Mansfield, Andy Abrahams, is focusing on.
Latest blog post: Bucking national trends, the Mansfield way
Despite the national economic shockwaves that continue to be a massive challenge for everyone, Mansfield continues to get recognised for achievements that buck the regional and national trend. This is achieved through a ‘can do’ attitude around regeneration and positive working relationships with partners.
Mansfield Museum and Art Gallery is a major contributor to this, with visitor numbers surging by 26.5% in 2026, welcoming more than 52,000 visitors in the last year. The increase reflects sustained investment in exhibitions, events and community engagement. It was brilliant to hear that our Cultural Services teams had been successful in landing more than £600,000 in additional funding from the Arts Council to build on the success we’ve already had. This cultural offer has led to more than 11,000 children and young people being supported by the learning and aspiration team in the last year, an increase of over 56% from the year before.
Our continued investment and support with partners for free family events programme that includes FireLight Festival, Mansfield Carnival, Onefest, the Mansfield Film Festival, Armed Forces Day, the Mansfield 10k and the Full Shebang festival will also support more people coming into Mansfield. Our drive to increase footfall has, in turn, stimulated inward investment with over £150m of private and public projects underway in the town centre.
Sadly, there is a housing crisis across the country, with record numbers of people unable to get on the housing ladder, which is why I am so proud of the rate of house building in our District. With the Council led social, affordable, energy-efficient housing schemes, such as the £18m White Hart development, Bellamy Road, Centenary Road, Berry Hill and other private schemes, Mansfield is showing the way on how to achieve the government’s new national targets, having already completed 4,240 homes against the original requirement of 3,900.
With an affordability ratio of 5.5 compared to an East Midlands average of 7.1, Mansfield is not only a financially attractive place to move to, especially being surrounded by great road links and the amazing Sherwood Forest, it’s a great place to bring up your family and improve your work life balance. Keep at it, Mansfield!
Thanks for reading,
Mayor Andy Abrahams
