Last night (Wednesday, 14 May), at the annual meeting of Medway Council, Cllr Trevor Clarke was elected as the new Mayor of Medway.
Originally from Bermondsey, Cllr Clarke’s family moved to the Medway area in 1967 where he attended Lower Halstow and Tunbury Primary Schools before going to Chatham Grammar School for Boys.
While there he met his childhood sweetheart and now wife of 39 years, Mandy. Together they have three adult-aged children who themselves attended Medway schools, first at the Balfour schools and then at Sir Joseph Williamson Mathematical and The Thomas Aveling.
The Mayor of Medway, Cllr Trevor Clarke.
Cllr Clarke first undertook community service when his children were at Balfour, putting in a 10-year stint on the Parent and Teachers’ Association. Whilst he very much enjoyed the decade-long experience, he does not miss having to be doorman at the Year Six discos.
He and his wife Mandy, a primary school teacher, have lived on Cloisterham Park since 1989 where he has run the local Neighbourhood Watch for more than 25 years.
Cllr Clarke now works part-time for an international bank, having worked in London since he left school in 1984. He is guided by his Christian faith and outside of business hours he has worked extensively with Churches Together in Medway across the Towns. He is an avid follower of Kent County Cricket Club, and has spent many a happy evening in the St Lawrence sunshine.
Cllr Clarke has served on Medway Council for 17 years, having first been elected in a by-election in 2008. He represented the Rochester South and Horsted ward up until the 2023 boundary changes and now represents Fort Horsted.
Truly an honour
The Mayor of Medway, Cllr Clarke, said: “I went to school here, I’ve lived here, I’ve raised my family here and I’ve had the privilege of serving the local community here for 17 years - it is truly an honour now to have been elected Mayor of Medway.
“We have fantastic communities, historic heritage sites and a strong cultural scene here in Medway. The role of Mayor is one which focuses on highlighting the best that Medway has to offer, both locally and nationally, and something I am really looking forward to doing throughout my year as Mayor. Like many, my family came to Medway in search of a better home, better school and green spaces – it was a place of aspiration and hope and I aim to reflect that throughout this mayoral year.”
Cllr Clarke has chosen Caring Hands in the Community and Slide Away as his chosen charities for the year.
Caring Hands is a day centre for those who are homeless or insecurely housed, providing support, advice and free meals, as well as access to showers and clean clothing. Slide Away works with parents, carers, schools and other professionals to help provide bereavement support to children and young people in Medway and Kent.
Make a real difference
Cllr Clarke added: “There are so many fantastic charities in Medway, and I am really proud to be supporting two of them in Caring Hands and Slide Away this year. Both of these charities make a real difference in people’s lives, providing support, advice and a friendly face at what could be somebody’s lowest point.”
Deputy Mayor of Medway appointed
During the meeting, Cllr Wayne Spring was also appointed Deputy Mayor of Medway.
Cllr Spring made Medway his home in 2001 and was elected to Medway Council in 2023.
He has been married to his wife Sara-Jane, a deputy head teacher, for 23 years. The couple have two children who attend school in Medway, with their daughter undertaking her GCSEs this year and their son who is in Year 7.
The Deputy Mayor of Medway, Cllr Wayne Spring.
Cllr Spring’s professional career started as a child actor – with his first gig seeing him take on the titular role from the Charles Dickens classic, Oliver Twist. He went on to achieve a LLB (Hons) from Anglia Ruskin University, and an LLM in International Sports Law from the T.M.C. Institute in The Hague. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, and specialises in costs law – having worked across both the United Kingdom and India.
Outside of work his passions are live music, travelling, cooking and eating out. He enjoys spending time with his family going to the cinema or seeing a musical, and is also a big sports fan – following Harlequins RFC, Liverpool FC and Hyderabad Sunrisers.
Continue to promote Medway
Deputy Mayor of Medway, Cllr Spring, said: “I am delighted to have been elected to the role of Deputy Mayor, and look forward to supporting the Mayor and his chosen charities throughout the coming year. My main focus will be to continue to promote Medway and doing my part to ensure it thrives as a place to live, work, learn and visit.”
The Mayor of Medway is known as the First Citizen of Medway and has ceremonial titles of Constable of the Castle and Admiral of the River.
A large part of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor’s time is spent promoting the image and importance of Medway in a regional and national context. The Mayor also chairs Full Council meetings.
The Mayor has appointed Reverend Edward Wright as his chaplain for his year in office.
More information about the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Medway will be updated on our website.