Mayor's Office
Those members of our Council who are elected to the post of Mayor are proud of its traditions and zealous to preserve its privileges which have been acquired through many years.
The Mayor - "the Head and Chief Governor of the Town" - had for long been recognised as being, in his or her own Borough, second only to Royalty and the Queen's Deputy, the Lord Lieutenant, a status which continues to be recognised in the Borough and District Council by Section 3(4) of the Local Government Act 1972. This high standing at the present time is mainly one of honour and dignity rather than actual legal powers, a distinct contrast to the days before the Municipal Corporation Act 1835, when the Mayor was often virtually and legally a dictator within his own Borough.
About the Mayor
Originally from Essex, Councillor Sue Gent made Swale her home 39 years ago and hasn’t looked back. Sue was born in Romford Essex and was brought up on a farm.
Swale Mayor, Sue Gent with Cadet Corporal Jake Hanley
Sue has always been interested in sports and ran 880 and 440 for the county of Essex. She was Captain of the local netball and rounders team and also played cricket.
Leaving school at fifteen to work for the local estate agents, Sue went on to marry Reg in 1974. They moved to Swale in October 1974 and raised their beloved family.
All their children went to a local school which is where Sue got her first taste of local issues. Sue joined the local PTA and became a school governor before joining the local Conservative Party. In 2001 she was elected to represent Kemsley Ward with her good friend, Brenda Simpson.
Sue continues to enjoy family life with her six children, and has welcomed becoming a grandmother and great grandmother! Sadly Reg passed away in 2012.
Having served Swale as Deputy Mayor for 2012/13, during the forthcoming year as Mayor, Sue is keen to visit as many local businesses, partner organisations and local schools as possible.
In honour of her late husband’s Army career, Sue has chosen a Mayoral Cadet from the Kent Army Cadet Force, Sittingbourne detachment - Cadet Corporal Jake Hanley.
The Mayor’s chosen Charities for the civic year are: Help For Heroes and the local branch of The Royal British Legion.
About the Deputy Mayor
George Bobbin started work as a butcher at the age of 15 and became a Master Butcher in 1966, aged 26. He also married his late wife Mary in 1966, and they were happily married for 44 years.
In 1978, the family moved to Boughton from Croydon, to run the butcher's shop and in 1983 George’s customers talked him into standing for the Parish Council, to which he was duly elected. George had to close the his butcher’s shop in Boughton in 2002 when he retired due to ill health.
George and Mary had three sons, all of whom went to local schools in the village and in Faversham.
In 2002, George was elected to Swale Borough Council, on which he has faithfully served his constituents ever since.
Whilst serving as Deputy Mayor in 2011, George represented the Borough at the Annual Medway River Cruise, where he met Brenda La Pavoux, who is serving as Deputy Mayoress with him this year.
