2025
Democratic, Hardworking and
Ambitions – Mansfield on the up
It has been a very busy and successful month for Mansfield with the District securing an additional £1.5 million through the government’s new Pride in Place Impact Fund. This fund will supplement our existing regeneration efforts to improve services, community spaces, public facilities, high streets, and our town centre. Key projects we are delivering include the Warsop Health Hub, Destination Mansfield, enhancements to Berry Hill Park, the Townscape Heritage programme, refurbishment of the Market Place and the replacement of the former Beales building with our Mansfield Connect £33m town centre transformational project.
On 3 September, MDC and Mansfield Place Board also launched a £20 million call for neighbourhood improvement projects, as part of the ten-year government Plan for Neighbourhoods (PfN). We have invited applications from community and voluntary organisations, educational providers, cultural and heritage organisations, businesses and public sector bodies. The aim is to ensure this investment focuses local priorities and delivers meaningful impact for our communities.
In order to improve the standards of accommodation in some of our most deprived areas of the District and reduce antisocial behaviour, we have introduced a selective licensing scheme for private landlords in designated wards. Nearly 1,200 properties in Central, Bancroft, West Bank and Wainwright, Market Warsop, Eakring, and Rock Hill wards have been targeted to address poor housing conditions and giving MDC powers to enforce standards.
We are determined to increase the number and improve the standard of council homes in the District . We have instigated a new social housing scheme on a derelict town centre site, supported former rough sleepers with a new housing initiative, and strengthened partnerships with Citizens Advice North Nottinghamshire to improve support for private renters.
We have worked hard on developing the structure and business case for the Northern Unitary option (1e) that brings together Mansfield, Ashfield, Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood and our neighbours in Gedling that we have to submit to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) on 28 November. It was gratifying to see the public supported our view that this ‘common sense’ North-South split was the more sensible geography that helps keep communities together and respected shared culture and history, compared to the 1b option that the County Council were putting forward that joined us to Rushcliffe. I am pleased we have moved quickly to address the concerns about when the £1.9m repair work to Four Seasons car park would progress by awarding the contract to Cemplas. We have been supporting the shops on Stockwell Gate whilst the Walkden Street car park is demolished by making sure the public know they are open for business as usual.
We also renewed our Public Spaces Protection Order for another three years to tackle anti-social behaviour, and we are continuing our campaign to raise awareness of environmental and community safety measures.
Heritage and community pride were celebrated through the revitalisation of Market Place Conservation Area buildings, the Heritage Skills Fair, and I awarded a Mayoral Commendation to 97-year-old Reverend, Derek Smith, for his services to Mansfield.
There were more consultations with the public on council home allocation policies as we want communities to help make the process simpler to understand, fair, open and transparent.
Our aim to improve public health and wellbeing, continued with the ongoing development of the Warsop Health Hub and active promotion of regional participation events, like the well-attended Mansfield 10k run in September.
I hope you can see we are striving to address immediate operational issues while positioning Mansfield for a sustainable, inclusive future—balancing financial realities with ambitious investment and proactive community engagement. A hardworking, democratic, ambitious Council that addresses the needs of its residents.