Thanet Regeneration Partnership Board

Brian has over 35 years of professional experience in the Housing and Development sector and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing.

Brian is the Director at Horton Strategic a housing, development and regeneration consultancy working independently and collaboratively to provide specialist strategic advice to clients in the public, private and third sector.

Brian is a Board Member at Gravesend Churches Housing Association and ABC Property Limited, Co-opted Member Kent Housing Group Executive Board, Board Member Turner Contemporary and recently stood down as Chair of the Margate Town Deal Board.

Prior to setting up Horton Strategic, Brian worked as Strategic Housing Advisor to Kent County Council, Chief Executive of Swale Housing Association and as Executive Director Kent for AmicusHorizon (now Southern Housing). He previously held positions at Thanet District Council, English Churches Housing Group (now Riverside), the Corporation of London and Wandsworth Borough Council.

In his consultancy work Brian works with a number of organisations to promote the delivery of housing and encourage good growth, working in partnership to engage with central government and Homes England to accelerate housing delivery and regeneration across the wider South East.

Brian is increasingly working with colleagues in the housebuilding industry and is an enthusiastic advocate for the business needs of the development sector with a particular focus on our small and medium-sized enterprises.

Chris has been the Managing Director, Executive Board Member and Statutory Director at Thanet Earth since 2019, he is responsible for the day to day operations and setting the strategic direction for the business. Chris has spent the last 25 years in the produce industry previously working for Fresca, one of the main shareholders in the Thanet Earth project, which saw Chris in senior leadership roles across various fresh produce categories working with primary producers and supply chains across the globe supplying into the UK. 

Zoë Carassik is CEO of Pie Factory Music, a music and youth work charity based in a busy youth centre in Ramsgate, East Kent. With a background in community music engagement and music education, Zoë’s work has predominantly focused on supporting social justice causes and has taken her from immigration removal centres, women’s refuges and community centres to world-class cultural institutions and strategic charitable organisations. 

Zoë is a passionate advocate for young people’s rights, ensuring young people are front and centre of the cultural regeneration of Thanet and other areas of high deprivation.

Roger Gale was born in 1943 and educated at Southbourne Preparatory School, Hardye’s School, Dorchester and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama.  He is married to Suzy and has three children and five grandchildren.   He is a former producer and director of Current Affairs programmes for the BBC, editor of Thames Television’s Teenage Unit, and a freelance radio journalist.  He has business experience both in the film industry and in market research.  

He contested Birmingham Northfield at a by-election in 1982 and was then elected as the Member of Parliament for North Thanet at the General Election in June 1983, and was re-elected in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2001, 2005., 2010, 2015 ,2017.and 2019.  

He has been a member many  Parliamentary delegations and has served as an International Election Observer in Outer Mongolia, South Africa., Mozambique, Ghana and in The Gambia, Kenya & Macedonia, Armenia, Georgia, Tunisia, Eastern Ukraine and Crimea , He first served on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe between 1987 and 1989 , was re-appointed in 2010 and now leads the United Kingdom delegation .

 He has specialised knowledge of political broadcasting, media matters, press and PR., animal welfare, defence and criminal justice issues.  During his 37 years as a Member of Parliament he has been appointed as a member of a wide range of bill committees..

Roger is a Fellow of the Industry & Parliament Trust, the Parliament & Armed Forces Fellowship and was the first Member of Parliament to participate in the Police Service Parliamentary Scheme with the Metropolitan Police (1995/6).  He undertook a Police Post Graduate attachment.   He has served as a Special Constable with the British Transport Police and as a PPS to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces between 1992 and 1995.   From 2001-2003 he was a Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party.  

Roger is President of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation.  He is an Honorary Member of the British Veterinary Association and an honorary life member of The League Against Cruel Sports.   He also holds honorary offices within a number of voluntary groups in his constituency, including St John Ambulance, 1st Margate (St John’s) Scout Troop and the Herne Bay Air Cadets.   He is Chairman of the Try Angle Awards Foundation and is a past-Chairman and trustee of SPANA.

He is the longest-serving member of the Speaker’s Panel of Chairmen in which capacity he has also acted as Chairman of Ways and Means (Deputy Speaker of The House of Commons). Since his appointment to the Panel in 1997 he has chaired more than 100 major pieces of legislation through their stages in the Standing Committee and Committee of the Whole House.

Roger is currently the Leader of the United Kingdom Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and, following the suspension of the President in June 2017, presided until the election of a new President in October. He remains the Senior Vice-President and as such is a member of the Assembly`s Bureau, Standing, Monitoring and Rules Committees.

Roger takes an ongoing and active interest in the very many voluntary and charitable organisations working locally in East Kent.  He also keeps in regular touch with members of his local business community in N. Thanet while continuing daily to deal with constituency casework and with the many and varied needs of his North Thanet constituency.     

Roger’s wife, Suzy, who is his full-time Parliamentary Office Director, is President of the East Kent Unit for Breast Screening, Patron of the local Cats Protection branch and former patron of the East.Kent Animal Centre.  She is a former member of the Council of Management of the Strode Park Foundation for the Disabled.   She took over from Roger as Co-Chairman of Conservative Animal Welfare and is the Founder and Secretary of Animals Worldwide.   She has enjoyed more than thirty years of experience as a magistrate, specialising in Family Court work.

Roger was re-elected to serve as the Member of Parliament for the North Thanet constituency in December 2019.

Kent County Councillor since 2016 representing Cilftonville, Kingsgate and Beacon Road.  Chairman, Health Reform and Public Health Cabinet Committee; Thanet Local Children’s Partnership.

Governor Bradstow School and Laleham Gap School

Colin was born in Hampstead, north London, and spent a lot of his early local government career working for his ‘home’ council, the London Borough of Camden. He has always enjoyed working in the general locality where he lives.

In 1996 Colin became Chief Executive at Canterbury City Council. In that capacity he was very involved with the Council’s projects for regenerating Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay. He also worked with neighbouring Councils including Thanet, on the broader growth of East Kent. He left Canterbury in March 2022. When the opportunity to become the Interim Chief Executive at Thanet arose soon after, it seemed natural to take that on. The issues – and opportunities – facing Thanet are very similar to those in Canterbury.

Newington ward councillor (2019-), Eastcliff ward councillor (2011-15).

My name is Ruth Duckworth and I represent Dane Valley Ward. I decided to become a Councillor because I think it is one of the best ways of contributing to the community and improving things.  I sit on the Planning and Standards committees. I also sit on the Millmead Children’s Centre board. I think that investing in children is one of the most important things we can do. If we can give a child a sense of being part of society, it  will stand them, and society, in good stead for years to come.

I have had many jobs in both the public and private sector, which has given me a broad understanding of the things that affect people. I am passionate about injustice, and will always be a voice for fairer systems, so that everyone can feel that they have something to contribute to society as well as mutually benefitting from it. 

As a Cabinet member I am responsible for Economic Development and Tourism. Tourists want similar things to residents in terms of clean streets and interesting things to do

HND Chemistry Oxford Brooks 

Senior Research Officer, Medical Research Council IT Technical Officer, Clarendon Grammar School 

Thanet District Councillor

Member of Parliament since 2015, Ramsgate resident, Chartered Accountant, European Scrutiny Committee member, Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission, House of Commons Finance Committee.

Frank was born in Manchester and attended Manchester University. He holds a B.Sc. Hons. in Management Sciences, A Certified Diploma in Marketing and a Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance. He holds an Honorary Doctorate from Canterbury Christ Church University. 

Frank spent his full-time working life in Marketing and General Management of branded consumer goods businesses.

He has lived and worked in a number of different industries located around the UK. He has been resident in Thanet since 2002. He retired from full time employment in 2013. Since then, the voluntary and Non-Executive roles he has held have been heavily involved in the development and delivery of strategic infrastructure projects.   

Frank is currently a Director of Locomotive Storage Limited, creating a museum of full size railway locomotives and associated memorabilia on the old Hornby site at Margate. He is also Vice Chair of Royal British Legion Industries, a Non-Executive Director of the Royal Temple Yacht Club, and a member of Kent Charity Mentors. 

Previously Frank was Chief Executive of Hornby Plc between 2001 and 2013, a Non Executive Director and latterly Deputy Chair of Dover Harbour Board 2013-2020, and Governor, Chair of Governors and latterly Pro Chancellor, Canterbury Christ Church University 2010 -2021. 

Frank has been a Deputy Lieutenant of Kent since 2005. He lives in Broadstairs and is married to Stephanie. They have 2 adult daughters and 4 grandchildren.

Bob is responsible for a broad range of services at Thanet District Council in his role as Director of Place, including Housing, Planning, Regeneration and Growth and Property.

Bob has worked in local government for over 40 years and is a chartered housing professional. He has  extensive experience of working with social landlords, developers and other public and voluntary sector services.

Bob has previously led regeneration partnerships in East Kent with a focus on community capacity, skills development and employment opportunities.

Rebecca has worked in strategic roles within the Kent and Medway Voluntary, Charity and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector for 20 years, and has been CEO of Social Enterprise Kent (SEK) since 2023.   

She is passionate about social enterprise, communities and empowering people.  With a MA in HR Business Partnership, a postgraduate diploma in management, and an adult teaching qualification, Rebecca loves learning and is hugely passionate about harnessing people’s potential.   

Social Enterprise Kent supports other social enterprises and charities to help them grow and develop – whether that be through training, business support, mentoring or funding.  Additionally, SEK supports individuals in local communities through wellbeing programmes designed to keep people fit and healthy – both physically and mentally.  For example, SEK was the lead provider for the hugely successful 7-year Ageless Thanet programme that engaged over 9000 Thanet residents, 400 local businesses, and supported a huge range of VCSE organisations.

As one of the larger VCSE organisations in Kent, SEK applies for large contracts and grants that smaller, grass-roots social enterprises cannot, and disseminates this money out to the sector.  This equated to over £1m in money out to the sector in 2022/23, and will be even more in 2023/24.        

With premises in Margate and Ramsgate, SEK is proudly rooted in the Thanet community, and Rebecca is honoured to represent the wider VCSE sector on this Board.  

Rob has spent 13 years working in the UK’s renewables industry, with five of those years at London Array offshore wind farm based in Ramsgate. His role within the wind industry focused on commercial project management and contract management, as well as connecting the wind farm with the local community. In 2019 he was elected as a Councillor for Margate central, later becoming Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and has proposed three budgets for Thanet District Council. In 2023 he was elected as Mayor of Margate, which coincided with him taking time out from his wind farm career.