Borough Councillor - Gary Cooke
Chairman of Kent County Council 2023-2024
KCC Councillor for Maidstone South East Division
MBC Councillor for Leeds Langley
Gary was elected to Kent County Council in June 2009 as the Conservative Member for Maidstone South East.
He is a retired Insurance Executive with a specialty in aviation and satellite underwriting and worked in the London and Lloyds markets from 1968 to 1995.
A father of three, he relocated with his family to Bermuda in 1995 and was part of an international team of business executives that helped grow a small insurance company employing 40 people, into a global insurer with offices in over 50 different countries. Gary returned to the UK 2003 and immediately became involved in local affairs.
His political career dates from when he was a member of the Young Conservatives during which time he was elected to the National Executive and represented the Conservative Party on the British Youth Council. He was first elected as a local councillor in 1979, serving as a member of Sevenoaks District Council until 1987.
Since being elected to Kent County Council he has served on the following committees:
- Children's, Young People and Education Cabinet Committee (also as Chairman)
- Corporate Parenting Panel
- County Council (current Chairman)
- Electoral and Boundary Review Committee (also as Chairman)
- Policy and Resources Cabinet Committee
- Scrutiny Committee
- Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee
- Governance and Audit
- Maidstone Joint Transportation Board.
He was Cabinet Member for Corporate and Democratic services from 2013 to 2017 and was an active member of Kent’s adoption panels for many years. He still maintains an active interest in Kent’s adoption and fostering services, as well as Kents other youth services and serves as Chairman of Maidstone’s Local Children’s Partnership Group.
Gary serves as a trustee of Fusion in Maidstone where the youth club he instigated continues to thrive. He is also a trustee of the Vinters Valley Nature Reserve.
Gary is a keen sportsman enjoying most sports though these days he emphasises the enjoyment comes from spectating rather than a participatory capacity. He is a former Class 1 football referee and was honoured to be invited by FIFA to officiate an international U21 tournament while he was living in Bermuda.
Gary was first elected to Maidstone Borough Council in 2021 and was re-elected in May 2024 to serve the residents of Leeds and Langley.