The Chairman and Civic Functions

Currently in office at North Kesteven District Council:

• The Chairman - Councillor Mr Mike Clarke
  
  Named Consort: Mrs Nicola Clarke
• The Vice-Chairman - Councillor Andrew Hagues
  
  Named Consort: Councillor Lucille Hagues

The role and responsibility of the Chairman to North Kesteven District Council, as the civic and ceremonial head of the Council, is to be an ambassador representing the Council and the communities of North Kesteven which they serve.

• Working in a proactive way to ensure the authority’s aims, objectives and priorities are met and to promote good practice.
• Building connections and bringing information to the authority from experiences learned.
• Host main civic events.
• Welcome visitors to the authority’s area.
• Network within the community through stakeholders, community groups, public and the voluntary sector, to achieve mutual understanding relating to activities and projects being undertaken.
• To preside over principal meetings of the Council and to ensure that Council meetings are conducted in a professional manner and in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Local Government Act 1972 and in the Council’s Standing Orders.
• Impartially and objectively encouraging appropriate participation and offering feedback.

Councillor Mike Clarke has lived in North Kesteven since 2013.  Mike has been actively involved with community affairs both in North Kesteven and Nocton Village, where he lives with his wife Nicola and youngest son Adam, who is currently completing his English master’s degree at Lincoln University. 

Mike has served on North Kesteven Council in previous years and was appointed Vice-chairman for 2018/19.  He feels especially privileged to be elected Chairman this civic year 2023/24 following his re-election for the Hykeham Central Ward in May 2023.  He will be supported by Nicola as his consort.

In addition, Mike and his wife are both Lincolnshire County Councillors and work together on several committees.

Mike was born in Worcester and spent his early life in that county where his father was a Police Officer.  Nicola was born and raised In Lincoln where her father worked at Ruston Bucyrus as a Master Toolmaker.

At the age of 17 years, Mike enlisted into the Coldstream Guards following a family tradition. Early in his career as a Guardsman, he suffered a life-changing injury and subsequently lost his left leg whilst training in Germany. Undeterred by this, Mike continued serving in the Coldstream Guards for a further 23 years, part of which was at Wellington Barracks by Buckingham Palace. Mike has never allowed his disability to deter him from such activities as skiing, skydiving, archery, golf, and cricket, where he was involved with the Guards Cricket Club. Mike has travelled extensively during his lifetime both as a serviceman and for pleasure, with memorable trips to Asia, America and around Europe, exploring architecture, culture and of course the cuisine! 

As a result of his injury and vast knowledge of disability and the effects this can have, not just physically, but also to mental health, Mike has been a great supporter of BLESMA – British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association and is proud to nominate them as one of his charities for his civic year. The other being The Salvation Army Sleaford Corps, who do wonderful work within the communities. 

After his Army Service, Mike started a second career working within retail property management in London, Lincoln, and Carlisle, which spanned a further 26 years.  In Carlisle Mike was a City Councillor along with his wife Nicola. During this time, he was extensively involved with the Royal British Legion, organising parades and assisting with the co-ordination and collection of the Poppy Appeal.

Mike loves living in Lincolnshire and as an ex-serviceman is particularly proud of and appreciates Lincolnshire's long regimental heritage and military association with the RAF and Bomber County, and is looking forward to engaging with the wider community of North Kesteven.

The Chairman’s nominated charity is the Salvation Army in Sleaford who do excellent work with our local communities,

the elderly and the vulnerable.

Secondly, Blesma – who are the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen`s Association.   They have for the last 90 years given valuable support to servicemen and servicewomen who have lost one or more limbs whilst serving in the Armed Forces.

The Civic Officer is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Civic Office as follows: 

• Provides support to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman in the delivery of their civic duties in respect of managing, organising, prioritising and co-ordinating their programme of civic engagements and commitments 
• Acts as first point of contact receiving all requests for official engagements and liaises with other authorities and outside organisations involved. 
• Programmes and manages the Council’s civic events hosted by the Chairman annually 
• Manages the Chairman’s charity fund during the Chairman’s year of office 
• Advices the Chairman and Vice-chairman on civic protocol

If you would like to invite the chairman to an event you can do so via our online form.

If the Chairman has attended an event recently and you would like to leave feedback, you can do so on our Chairman attendance satisfaction survey.

If you would like to contact the Chairman, or invite them to an event, please do so via the Civic Office.

• Email:  Civic_Office@n-kesteven.gov.uk
• Telephone:  01529 308220