Nicholas takes over as new Sevenoaks Town mayor

A CEREMONIAL handing over of the Mayoral chain and robes took place at the Sevenoaks Annual Council Meeting on Monday (13 May) when the outgoing Mayor, Cllr Roderick Hogarth, welcomed the new Sevenoaks Town Mayor, Cllr Nicholas Busvine OBE.

New Sevenoaks Town Mayor Nicholas Busvine OBE.

Cllr Busvine spent his childhood in Kemsing and Sevenoaks and was educated at Sevenoaks School and St John’s College Cambridge, where he studied Economics and Law.  He joined HM Diplomatic Service in 1982.

During his 29 years as a diplomat, Cllr Busvine served in a variety of posts in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.  His final overseas post was to the Embassy in Baghdad during the height of the war in 2006/7.  Cllr Busvine was appointed OBE in 1994 and retired from public service in 2011.  He is now a partner in a London-based advisory company.  He has been a Sevenoaks Town Councillor since 2012.  Cllr Busvine is married to Madeleine who teaches at St Thomas’s primary school. Madeleine will be the Mayoress.  He has three daughters at local schools.

The Mayor and Mayoress chosen charities for the Civic Year will be:

• SSAFA (formerly called the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Families Association) supporting the Armed Forces family for more than 130 years.  In 2018 work continues to be as vital to the military community and wider society as it was one hundred years ago.  The new Mayor is particularly keen to support local ex Armed Forces in the community.
• Sevenoaks Air Cadets
• Ongoing projects in the Sevenoaks Mayor’s Fund – 3G Pitch at Knole Paddock and Refurbishment for the Stag.

Deputy Town Mayor Dr Merilyn Canet.

Cllr Dr Merilyn Canet has been elected to the post of Deputy Mayor.

During his year of office, Cllr Hogarth and his wife Mary as Mayoress, have attended hundreds of engagements in the town supporting local community groups and visiting areas outside of the town to promote Sevenoaks.

Cllr Hogarth chose to raise funds for Sevenoaks Powerchair Football and projects within the Sevenoaks Mayor’s Fund.  At the end of his Civic Year Cllr Hogarth distributed and allocated the following funds: Sevenoaks Powerchair Football £16,600; Sevenoaks Day Nursery £2,700; 3G Rugby Pitch at Knole Paddock (ongoing project); £2,700, Stag (ongoing project) £2,700; and Alice’s Ark £2,450.