Biology graduate Adam is the new town centre manager (From Knutsford Guardian)

Biology graduate Adam is the new town centre manager

2:40pm Friday 21st September 2012 in News By James Wilson

KNUTSFORD’S new town centre manager has told the Guardian his understanding of the role of the community will benefit him in his new role.

Earlier this summer the town council decided to create a full-time position which involves combining the town centre manager role with deputising for the town clerk at some committee meetings.

In the past, the town received the services of Cheshire East Council employee Diane Smith to work with businesses and organise events for the area.

But councillors decided to go their own way after being quoted £12,000 by Cheshire East Council to keep her services for one day a week during the year.

As a result Adam Keppel-Garner started at the council offices on Toft Road at the beginning of the month.

The 22-year-old, who graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University this summer in human biology, impressed town council bosses, who decided to take him on.

He said his past experience of council life would benefit him in his new role.

“My mum is a parish councillor so I’ve always indirectly been involved in councils and know how they run and how they do things,” he said. “Back home I was involved in the village hall committee, and I helped to organise the parish plan as well as running the village website.

“I’ve always been involved in the community so when I saw the job I thought it would be quite interesting.”

Adam will divide his time with helping to run town events, and deputising for town clerk Steve McQuade at meetings.

“It’s been good and interesting so far and I’ve found the full council to be a lot tamer than I am used to,” he said.

“It was a lot more formal than I thought, but the respect shown was good. At the moment the main things I will be doing is organising the Remembrance Sunday and helping with the Christmas lights switch-on.”

Adam’s interest include music, photography, computer gaming and attending gigs.