Heroes of 2025: Lesley Potts, North Lincolnshire Council

Myself and the IMPOWER team in North Lincolnshire are nominating Lesley Potts, Director of Communities at North Lincolnshire Council, for IMPOWER’s Heroes of 2025 celebration because she exemplifies what determined, values-driven leadership looks like.

Lesley is spearheading a bold transformation of Leisure and Culture Services, not simply restructuring processes, but reshaping how the council supports and enriches the lives of local residents. Her energy, commitment, and absolute focus on improving outcomes for communities sets a powerful example for everyone around her. Lesley is hands on, solutions oriented, and unfailingly dedicated to seeing positive change through, even when the challenges are complex. And while she’s famously brilliant at “reflecting” (a word she’ll insist she can’t stand), her ability to learn, adapt, and inspire others is one of her greatest strengths. Lesley’s leadership is driving real impact across North Lincolnshire, and her contribution deserves to be celebrated.