New vision for Mansfield’s future unveiled

The vision is outlined in a new strategy called Make it in Mansfield, which has been developed by the Mansfield Place Board – an alliance of local leaders, businesses and other organisations.

The strategy was officially launched on Monday 13 November at the NTU Mansfield University Hub in the town where guests from business, public and third sectors were welcomed by Executive Mayor Andy Abrahams and Chair of the Mansfield Place Board, Andrew Cropley.

The Mayor said: “This new strategy is all about making the district an attractive place to live, work, invest and visit – which is why it was so important for us to hear from as many people as possible about what they want for the future of their district.

“The feedback was fantastic. People told us what they like about Mansfield and what should be different. They want even more reasons to be proud of the place they call home. They want to be ambitious and forward-looking. And we are committed to making this a reality.”

Mr Cropley, who is also Principal of Vision West Nottinghamshire College, added: “Together, the members of the Place Board are determined to build an era of new prosperity and progress. This is our vision – using the ‘power of positive’ to create a confident future for Mansfield.

“Our strategy is the culmination of months of work looking at what makes Mansfield great, listening to people and exploring where the opportunities lie to create a new vibrant and forward-looking story for Mansfield.

“These are exciting times and we are fully committed to working together across the district to deliver our strategy and achieve our vision for local people, local businesses, and future generations to come."

The ten-year strategy sets out priorities for ensuring Mansfield is a place ‘where everyone can make it in life’, under four key themes:

• Build thriving communities – so that people can be confident and ambitious, believe in a positive future, and are proud of Mansfield.
• Create opportunities for all – by ensuring people have the right skills and can access well-paid local jobs.
• Grow a vibrant economy – supporting local businesses to grow and attracting new ones to the district.
• Enjoy a happy life – where local people are supported to be healthy and active.

Make it in Mansfield is designed to inform the strategies of all major local organisations, including priorities for future investment by both the public sector and businesses. It also gives commitments on actions to be taken, such as:

• Increasing opportunities to volunteer and participate in community life.
• Improving digital networks across the district.
• Creating more opportunities for people to gain the skills they need.
• Working to attract new employers, including those in green technologies.
• Evolving Mansfield town centre into a vibrant space that people want to visit.
• Launching a district-wide campaign to improve Mansfield’s environment.

The full strategy can be found and downloaded at www.makeitinmansfield.uk.