The South Wales Guardian is going through some changes, writes Steve Adams.

As some readers will be aware, I officially took over the role of editor on Wednesday, June 25, following Mike Lewis’ decision to step down after more than seven years at the helm.

Mike did a fantastic job during his tenure and deserves great credit for his efforts throughout what was at times a turbulent period in the Guardian’s 59-year history.

However with a new editor comes new ideas and I will be looking to make some changes in the coming weeks and months – some may be obvious, others perhaps less so.

I have been involved at the Guardian in various guises since 2006 and worked alongside both Mike and his predecessor Liz Cartwright so I understand the community we serve and the expectations our readers have of us as a newspaper.

Mike’s departure will also see the arrival of a new reporter who will be joining us later this month.

In the meantime I will be looking to begin implementing some of the changes which I feel are required to take the Guardian forward into a successful future at the heart of our community.

These changes however will not happen overnight and I would like to take this opportunity to thank readers for your patience as we go through this time of transition.

We will endeavour to continue to represent the people of the Amman, Gwendraeth and Towy valleys and to promote the region in the best possible light and to the best of our ability while at the same time bringing you the news - online and in our traditional newspaper.

It is my challenge to make the South Wales Guardian better – and it is a challenge which I am relishing.

I am keen to hear from readers to get their thoughts on what we have been doing right and where we can improve moving forward.

While I may be the editor, the South Wales Guardian is your newspaper and I would like to welcome any ideas to help me make this a newspaper of which we can all be proud.