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Past Chairman and Vice Chairman

The Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council are elected by the members of the Council to serve for a term of one year at the Annual General Meeting of the Council held each May. There is no limit on the number of terms that a Chairman or Vice-Chairman of the Council can serve but the Chairman and Vice-Chairman must be serving District Councillors to be eligible for election.

Councillor Albert E M Cavell was elected the first Chairman of Dover District Council in 1974. This followed the merger of Dover Rural District Council, Dover Borough Council, Deal Borough Council, Sandwich Town Council and Eastry Rural District Council.

Past Chairmen and Vice Chairmen of the Council
YearChairman of the CouncilVice-Chairman of the Council
1974 - 1975 Councillor Albert E M Cavell Councillor George M Aslett
1975 - 1976 Councillor Peter W Bean Councillor Howard E Morison
1976 - 1977 Councillor Peter W Bean Councillor Amelia M Williamson
1977 - 1978 Councillor George M Aslett Councillor Raymond G Norley
1978 - 1979 Councillor Alexander G Greenway-Stanley Councillor Mark J Cave
1979 - 1980 Councillor Mark J Cave Councillor Robert R Chesterfield
1980 - 1981 Councillor Mark J Cave Councillor Joseph Williams
1981 - 1982 Councillor Walter H Robertson Councillor Norman L Coombe
1982 - 1983 Councillor Walter H Robertson Councillor Eric Ferris
1983 - 1984 Councillor Walter H Robertson Councillor Donald W Davis
1984 - 1985 Councillor Phillip E Buss Councillor Donald W Davis
1985 - 1986 Councillor Phillip E Buss Councillor Michael P Farrell
1986 - 1987 Councillor Amelia M Williamson Councillor James A Truelove
1987 - 1988 Councillor Amelia M Williamson Councillor George T Tyler
1988 - 1989 Councillor Amelia M Williamson Councillor Harry T Hubbard
1989 - 1990 Councillor Paul A Watkins Councillor Sheila M Maxwell
1990 - 1991 Councillor Paul A Watkins Councillor Sheila M Maxwell
1991 - 1992 Councillor Paul A Watkins Councillor Ada R Purnell
1992 - 1993 Councillor Robert R Chesterfield Councillor Ada R Purnell
1993 - 1994 Councillor Robert R Chesterfield Councillor Eric Ferris
1994 - 1995 Councillor Percy T Wilson Councillor Royston J Tant
1995 - 1996 Councillor Percy T Wilson Councillor Royston J Tant
1996 - 1997 Councillor Percy T Wilson Councillor Royston J Tant
1997 - 1998 Councillor William V Newman Councillor Frank E Woodbridge
1998 - 1999 Councillor William V Newman Councillor Frank E Woodbridge
1999 - 2000 Councillor Frank E Woodbridge Councillor Royston J Tant
2000 - 2001 Councillor Frank E Woodbridge Councillor Wendy Hansell
2001 - 2002 Councillor Wendy Hansell Councillor Eileen D Rowbotham
2002 - 2003 Councillor Wendy Hansell Councillor Frank E Woodbridge
2003 - 2004 Councillor Patrick G Heath Councillor Bernard W Butcher
2004 - 2005 Councillor Patrick G Heath Councillor Bernard W Butcher
2005 - 2006 Councillor Patrick G Heath Councillor Bernard W Butcher
2006 - 2007 Councillor Patrick G Heath Councillor Bernard W Butcher
2007 - 2008 Councillor Bernard W Butcher Councillor Roger Frayne
2008 - 2009 Councillor Bernard W Butcher Councillor Stephen C Manion
2009 - 2010 Councillor Bernard W Butcher Councillor Stephen C Manion
2010 - 2011 Councillor Bernard W Butcher Councillor Sylvia R Nicholas
2011 - 2012 Councillor Sylvia R Nicholas Councillor Paul S Le Chevalier
2012 - 2013 Councillor Sylvia R Nicholas Councillor Paul S Le Chevalier
2013 - 2014 Councillor Sylvia R Nicholas Councillor Paul S Le Chevalier
2014 - 2015 Councillor Sylvia R Nicholas Councillor Paul S Le Chevalier
2015 - 2016 Councillor Susan S Chandler Councillor David Hannent
2016 - 2017 Councillor Susan S Chandler Councillor David Hannent
2017 - 2018 Councillor Susan S Chandler Councillor David Hannent
2018 - 2019 Councillor Susan S Chandler Councillor David Hannent
2019 - 2020 Councillor Michael D Conolly Councillor David Hannent
2020 - 2021 Councillor Michael D Conolly Councillor David Hannent
2021 - 2022 Councillor Michael D Conolly Councillor David Hannent
2022 - 2023 Councillor Michael D Conolly Councillor David Hannent
2023 - 2024 Councillor Gordon Cowan Councillor David Cronk
2024 - 2025 Councillor Gordon Cowan Councillor David Cronk
2025 - 2026 Councillor Susan Beer Councillor David Cronk

 

There are currently five councillors who are equal longest serving Chairmen at four years each (Councillors Butcher, Chandler, Conolly, Heath and Nicholas). 

The longest serving Vice-Chairman is Councillor David Hannent who served in the role for eight consecutive years (2015-2023).

The first female Chairman was Councillor Amelia M Williamson in 1986. She was also the first female Vice-Chairman in 1976.