Cllr Gordon Cowan is the new Chairman of Dover District Council following his election by fellow councillors at the annual meeting of the Council on 17 May with Cllr David Cronk elected Vice-Chairman.
As well as chairing meetings of full Council, the Chairman is also the civic head of the Council and hosts civic events, receives official visitors, represents the District at ceremonial occasions and attends a wide range of events and presentations on behalf of the Council.
The Chairman of Dover District Council is the First Citizen in the District and takes precedence over all others including the Town Mayors of Dover, Deal and Sandwich, but excluding royalty and His Majesty’s representative in the county, the Lord Lieutenant of Kent.
Cllr Cowan and Cllr Cronk are both former Town Mayors in Dover and Deal, respectively. Cllr Cowan served as Mayor of Dover in 2000/2001 and from 2019 to May 2023. Cllr Cronk was Mayor of Deal in 2016/17.
Cllr Gordon Cowan said: “It’s a great honour to be elected Chairman of the Council and to represent the district. I am looking forward to the civic year ahead and getting out in the district to support the many community, charity, voluntary and sporting groups which make our district so distinctive.”