Chair
The Chair of Norfolk County Council is Cllr Stuart Dark.
The Vice-Chair is Cllr Tom FitzPatrick.
Biography
Stuart lives in Snettisham with his wife Kerry and two children, who attended local state schools. All his immediate family proudly call Norfolk 'home', with his sister, a retired Norfolk primary school Headteacher living in Walsingham and his parents living in Hunstanton.
Stuart grew up in West London and joined the Metropolitan Police from school. He was commended many times during his career and is a recipient of that force's seldom awarded highest operational honour, a 'Commissioner's High Commendation', for his work in SE Asia immediately following the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. He retired from policing in 2015, after 30 years public service, as a senior officer in the serious and organised crime arena.
He has been active in his local community, both formally and informally for years, having been a primary School Governor and Parish Councillor. He was first elected to the County Council in 2017 and has been both Vice-Chair and Chair of its 'Children's Services' Committee. He has also been an active member of Norfolk's 'Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee' and its 'Police and Crime Panel'.
Stuart has also been a Councillor on King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council since 2018, taking on the new Cabinet role for co-ordinating the response to the Covid pandemic with partners and later leading that large district Council, from May 2021 until May 2023.
He was awarded an MBE in 2020 for services to his community.
Away from politics, Stuart is interested in history, most sports and the Arts.
Stuart's theme for the year will be: supporting and celebrating volunteers and promoting volunteering in Norfolk.
Roles and responsibilities
The main duty of the Chair is to chair meetings of full council. The Chair is the civic ambassador for the authority, and represents the council at events including remembrance, community events and royal visits.
Request attendance of the Chair
The Chair receives invitations from all parts of the community and attends as many as possible throughout the year. The Chair is non-political and cannot be involved with political or contentious events.
To request the attendance of the Chair to an event, please complete and submit the request attendance of the Chair online form. Please complete all the questions if possible.
Theme of the Year - Volunteers
As the Chair of the Norfolk County Council, I have the privilege and responsibility of choosing a theme for the year that reflects my values and vision for our county. This year, I have chosen the theme of supporting and celebrating our great volunteers and promoting volunteering in Norfolk.
Volunteering is one of the most powerful and positive ways of making a difference in our society. It is not only a way of giving back, but also a way of learning, growing, and connecting with others. Volunteering can help us develop new skills, discover new passions, and enhance our well-being. Volunteering can also help us tackle some of the most pressing challenges we face, such as loneliness, isolation, poverty, and inequality.
Our county is home to thousands of volunteers who contribute to the cultural, social, environmental, and economic vitality of our region. These volunteers are the backbone of our communities, and they deserve our recognition and appreciation.
As the Chair of the Council, I meet and celebrate the achievements and contributions of our volunteers and I want to use my role as the Chair to support and raise awareness of the opportunities and benefits of volunteering in Norfolk. I want to encourage you to celebrate and thank our existing volunteers, particularly in areas where people have not previously been recognised and to show them how much we appreciate and value their work.
The honours system in the UK is designed to recognise people and who make a real difference to their community or in their field of work.
You can nominate volunteers to recognise their outstanding service and contribution through the Norfolk lieutenancy website. Visit Honours and awards on the Norfolk Lieutenancy website.
If you are running a voluntary group that would like a discussion or visit please contact me at chairofthecouncil@norfolk.gov.uk
Contact the Chair
Chair's Office
Democratic Services
Ground Floor South Wing
County Hall
Martineau Lane
Norwich
NR1 2DH
Email: chairofthecouncil@norfolk.gov.uk
Chair's engagements
October 2024
1 October - Queen Elizabeth Hospital Staff Awards
2 October - Norfolk and Norfolk University Hospital Annual General Meeting
6 October - Norfolk and Norowich Novi Sad Association and Annual Lunch
6 October - Lviv Philharmonic Orchestra of Ukraine
10 October - University of East Anglia Court, The Enterprise Centre
12 October - Wreath Laying at Edith Cavell Commemoration, Norwich Cathedral
13 October - High Sheriff's Cathedral Service, Norwich Cathedral
17 October - Meeting with Volunteers at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital
20 October - St John's Ambulance Annual Awards, The Forum Norwich
20 October - Annual Service to Commemorate the Batlle of El Alamein, St Andrew's Church Honingham
21 October - Trafalgar Day Supper, King's Lynn Town Hall
25 October - 8:56 Foundation Charitable Ball, Barton Bendish
27 October - Dedication of the new County Youth Standard and the new Aylsham Branch Standard
28 October - Norfolk Coroner's Court visit
30 October - Presentation of the British Empire Medals, The Norfolk Club, Norwich
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