Herefordshire appoints Michael Hainge as director of environment

Herefordshire Council will welcome next month a new director of environment to oversee radical plans to put environmental issues on an equal footing with economic and social concerns. 

Michael Hainge is currently assistant director of environmental protection & regulation at the London Borough of Enfield, where he manages 420 staff and a budget of £18.5 million, delivering to 280,000 citizens a range of services to regulate the environment in a demanding 24-hour economy. He will join Herefordshire in April, taking over from Graham Dunhill, who retires after more than 40 years in local government.

Said Councillor Roger Phillips, leader of Herefordshire Council: “Michael has a strong track record in ‘environmental crime fighting’ at Enfield and previously at Westminster, and is recognised as an able communicator, a motivational leader and adept at working with strategic partners to improve customer satisfaction levels. We felt that if we are to be the best we need to recruit the best when it comes continuing to manage our local environment, which is highly valued by the people of Herefordshire”.

Herefordshire has a reputation for being a ‘clean and green’ county and the local authority will continue its assertive approach to implementing its waste reduction, recycling, healthy transport and carbon management strategies.

The council has policies in place that require every team in every area of work to consider the environmental consequences of their actions and works with its partners and local residents to achieve positive behaviour change in support of a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future for tomorrow’s generations.

Michael Hainge said: “I am immensely excited to be given this opportunity to serve the people and county of Herefordshire. I have family connections with the county and am really looking forwarding to moving here. Herefordshire Council is well regarded nationally and I will be working very hard with my new colleagues to improve still further our excellent services and to protect our outstanding environment.”

Michael is married with two sons, aged 8 and 5, and describes his hobbies as ‘anything they want to do’.