Mansfield councillors approve appointment of new chief executive

Adam Hill was confirmed for the role last week and news of his arrival has since been welcomed by the leaders of both main parties at the authority.

Mr Hill has 33 years’ of experience in the public and private sectors and is currently deputy chief executive at Swansea Council, the second-largest unitary authority in Wales.

However, he is no stranger to Nottinghamshire having studied at Nottingham Business School, worked at Ashfield Council and held a senior position at Broxtowe Council.

He has also held positions at Stafford Council and other authorities in the West Midlands and Wales.

And he has experience in transformational change, regeneration, leisure, culture, and legal and democratic services.

The authority’s personnel committee recommended he should be appointed into the six-figure salary role, with the latest full council meeting making his appointment official.

Andy Abrahams, Mansfield mayor, said the council had a ‘very good recruitment process’, which involved councillors, officers and key council partners.

He also thanked Mariam Amos and Mike Robinson, who stepped in as interim co-chief executives following Ms Barsby’s departure.

Mr Abrahams said: “We’ve ended up with an excellent candidate in Adam.

“He’s got wide experience at unitary level and years of experience at district council level.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank both the interim co-chief executive officers, they have done a fantastic job of keeping the ship stable and I look forward to them working with the new chief executive.”

Coun Mick Barton, leader of the Opposition Mansfield Independents, described Mr Hill as a ‘good appointment’.

It is expected Mr Hill will take up his role in August.

Speaking following his appointment, he said: “I am delighted and really proud to be given the opportunity to be chief executive at Mansfield, returning back to where my career started.”

Mrs Barsby annouced she was stepping down in October and left in January after 22 years at the council.

She had started work as a clerical assistant in 1999 and been chief executive since 2018.

Announcing her departure, she said she wanted to spend more time with family and also revealed she had suffered long-lasting effects from a case of Covid-19 she had contracted in the summer.