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 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.
Events and invitations
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.
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
April 2024
Sunday 28 April - Anzac Day Civil Service, St Peter Mancroft, Norwich
Sunday 28 April - Almanza and Kohima Service, Norwich Cathedral
Saturday 27 April - St George's Day Service and Celebration, Cromer
Friday 26 April - Civic Reception, Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery
Thursday 25 April - Citizenship Ceremony, County Hall
Wednesday 24 April - Your Local Paper Hero Awards Presentation Evening, King's Lynn
Tuesday 23 April - East Anglian Maritime Awards, Norfolk Broads Yacht Club, Wroxham
Sunday 21 April - Rotary National Final of Youth Speaks - a Debate, Norwich
Friday 19 April - Topping Out Ceremony, The Place, Great Yarmouth
Thursday 18 April - Broadland DC Chair Civic Reception
Wednesday 17 April - Youth Parliament Celebration, County Hall
Friday 12 April - Norfolk and Norwich Koblenz Friendship Association AGM, County Hall
Thursday 11 April - North Norfolk District Council Chairman's Reception, Thursford Collection