GUEST COLUMN: Future is positive for Mansfield, by Mayor Coun Kate Allsop

I encourage you to donate, wear your poppy with pride and lest we forget the sacrifices made by our brave servicemen and women.

I will be attending the parade and church service at St Peter’s Church this Sunday and residents can also pay their respects across the district on Armistice Day. We shall present wreaths at the monument at the Civic Centre at 9.30am and at the memorial at Carr Bank Park at 10.30am on Thursday November 11.

This week will also commend the great achievements of our home-grown Paralympic medallists Ollie Hynd and Charlotte Henshaw. They shall both receive Freedom of the District along with the council’s swimming coach Glenn Smith.

I will be joined at both events by Anna Rigby, our newly elected youth mayor. She is very keen to connect young people and political issues and I have no doubt she will have a fulfilling year in her role.

Earlier this year I approved the council’s vision for the future and priorities to 2019. This will steer the council forwards for the duration of my first term at Executive Mayor. During this time we will endeavour to deliver our mission “to sustain a safe and caring district where everybody can succeed.” Our three priority areas focus on; a thriving, vibrant and sustainable district, strong safe and resilient communities and providing a clean and welcoming environment. This week Bev Smith our chief executive officer has been delivering these key messages to all council staff in a series of briefings.

Our journey to self-sufficiency is vital and this week we approved the council’s first commercial growth strategy. This new strategic approach maps out how the council will deliver services with a commercial edge, generate new income streams and help plug the authorities budget deficit. This year we will see the development of new homes, launch a new safety hub where the police and community enforcement can work in partnership and look to improve our recycling rates.

Our business plan is robust and we have a great team to make this happen - I am positive for the future of our town.