Minutes:
Dan Daley
(1) With the greatest of regret the Chairman informed Members, formally, of the passing of Mr Dan Daley at the end of March 2023. He said Mr Daley was a well-known and well-respected Borough and County Councillor who worked tirelessly on behalf of the residents in Maidstone Central Division. Mr Daley was elected to Maidstone Borough Council in 1990 and to Kent County Council in 2001. The Chairman said Mr Daley had a love of nature and the environment and cared greatly about the health and wellbeing of Kent residents. He was a member of the Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee since it was set up in its current form and his thoughtful and passionate input at all committees would be missed greatly.
(2) Tributes were made by Mr Hook, Mr Gough, Dr Sullivan, Mr Lehmann, Mr Lewis, Sir Paul Carter, Miss Carey, Mr Simkins, Mr Streatfeild, Mr Kennedy, and Mr Cannon.
Paul O’Grady
(3) At the end of March this year, Kent residents and people from around the world mourned the unexpected death of Mr Paul O’Grady MBE DL. The Chairman said Mr O’Grady had been appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent in November 2022 and referred to Mr O’Grady’s love for the county which he had made his home for over 21 years. He filmed a series about Kent back in 2020 which saw him travelling around the county highlighting many of the coastal areas around Kent and had written a book about living in Kent, with his latest children’s book being set on the Romney Marshes. Mr Grady was also very committed to supporting many charities, including being a Patron of Save the Children and an Ambassador for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, along with a number of other animal charities across the county. The Chairman said Mr O’Grady was a great loss to many people and the organisations he championed.
(4) The Chairman held a one-minute silence in memory of Mr Daley and Mr O’Grady.
Motion of condolence
(5) Mr Cooke proposed, and Mr Sweetland seconded, that the Council formally record the sense of loss it feels on the sad passing of Mr Daley and Mr O’Grady and extends to their families and friends its heartfelt sympathy to them in their sad bereavements.
Agreed unanimously.
Mike Whiting
(6) The Chairman welcomed back to the Council, Mr Mike Whiting, as Member for the Sheppey Division.
David Cockburn retiring
(7) The Chairman informed Members of Mr Cockburn’s decision to retire from his role as Chief Executive Officer and expressed his support on behalf of the Council. Mr Cooke thanked Mr Cockburn for his outstanding contribution to the Council and said he had been the most Senior Officer of the Council for nearly 12 years and the commitment he had given to the Authority, particularly through some of the most difficult of times, was exceptional. Mr Cooke said he would be extremely missed and on behalf of all Members of the Council thanked and wished him well for the future.
(8) The Chairman invited Mr Gough, Dr Sullivan, and Sir Paul Carter to comment.
Coronation Champion
(9) The Chairman explained, as part of the Coronation celebrations and in honour of Their Majesties’ service to the country, the Royal Voluntary Service launched the Coronation Champions Awards to celebrate extraordinary volunteers across the country who had been contributing to their communities. Out of the many volunteers who were nominated, 500 volunteers were selected to win this Award and the Chairman was pleased to say that 18 of these were from Kent.
(10) One of the Kent Coronation Champions was a KCC member of staff, Mr Kevin Hunt, an Early Help Support Worker covering the Sevenoaks district. Mr Hunt spent countless hours each week volunteering for his cricket club, coaching children’s football, and volunteering with the Youth Justice Service. Mr Cooke congratulated Mr Hunt and thanked him for all he did in support of the community.
Bill Cockcroft
(11) The Chairman welcomed Deputy Lieutenant, Mr Bill Cockcroft to the meeting who was joined by fellow Deputy Lieutenant, Mr Trevor Sturgess.
(12) Mr Cooke thanked Mr Cockcroft, on behalf of the Council, for his exceptional service to the County. Mr Cockcroft was currently the longest serving Deputy Lieutenant, having been appointed by the late Lord Kingsdown in 1996, and had since served under a further three Lord-Lieutenants (Mr Allan Willett, Viscount De L’Isle and Lady Colgrain). In 2004, Mr Cockcroft was made the first Link Deputy Lieutenant for Maidstone, a role created by the late Mr Allan Willett. Mr Cockcroft was a retired Senior Partner of a Quantity Surveying Practice and a former Chief Commissioner of England for the Scout Association and was Chair of the Organising Committee and Camp Chief for the 2007 Centenary World Scout Jamboree held in the UK. Mr Cooke said he was President of Kent Scouts and Maidstone Sea Cadets as well as a number of other voluntary roles.
(13) Mr Cooke said Mr Cockcroft was retiring as a serving Deputy Lieutenant after an outstanding 27 years and on behalf of the Council, he thanked him for his remarkable service to Kent.
Chairman’s Charities
(14) The Chairman announced that he had chosen to support two charities during his year as Chairman and they were Imago and Crossroads. Both charities provided support to young carers in Kent.
(15) The Chairman invited Ms Angela Holland, Ms Jo Rickword and Ms Wendy McGeachy from Imago, and Ms Irene Jeffrey and Ms Jan Hall from Crossroads to introduce the charities and their work.