Val has represented the residents of Bearsted Ward since first elected in May 2011. She came into politics after the success of the StopKig group which campaigned successfully against the Kent International Gateway proposal, a huge road/ rail interchange that threatened the village and the surrounding area between 2007 and 2010.
Val has lived in Bearsted since 1999 and is a retired airline pilot. She is passionate about protecting the character of the village and is very proud of the fantastic community spirit that exists. She is well known for responding quickly to resident’s concerns and supports them in trying to achieve a successful outcome where possible.
Planning issues and development are always a challenging matter that can cause a lot of upset to existing residents and are always high on her agenda.
She was recently Chairman of the Licensing Committee and has chaired the Joint Transportation Board and was vice- chairman of the Strategic Planning and Infrastructure Committee at Maidstone Borough Council.
