Sevenoaks welcomes new Town Mayor, Councillor Tony Clayton
Published: 13 May 2025
Councillor Tony Clayton has been elected the new Mayor of Sevenoaks at the Annual Meeting of Sevenoaks Town Council, held on Monday 12th May 2025. Councillor Victoria Granville has been elected as Deputy Mayor.
Councillor Clayton was first elected to Sevenoaks Town Council in 1987, and last year he held the position of Deputy Mayor.
The new Mayor and his wife, Gill, have lived in Sevenoaks since 1983, after moving from Glasgow with their two children.
Councillor Tony Clayton previously held the position of Sevenoaks Town Mayor in 1995/96. Over the last two years, he has chaired the Finance Committee, the Town Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, and the Sevenoaks Town Team, which brings together councils, businesses, residents and voluntary organisations to improve the town centre.
Councillor Clayton has also served as a District Councillor for much of the time he has worked as a Town Councillor. As the Vice Chair of Housing, he oversaw major investment in the quality and sustainability of social homes. As the Chair of Town Centre Development, he supervised the evolution of the Bligh’s Shopping Centre plan, and the commissioning of the successful developer.
The Mayor has spent most of his career working as an economist, specialising in performance improvement and marketing strategy, for companies in Kent, across the UK and internationally. He has also held roles in the Office for National Statistics, including Director of Economic Analysis, and worked as the Chief Economist of the UK Intellectual Property Office. Since retiring from the Civil Service, he has worked as a consultant on intellectual property economic projects.
Since he first held the position of Sevenoaks Town Mayor in 1995/96, Councillor Clayton has been working to promote cycling in Sevenoaks. He continues to cycle and is often seen around Sevenoaks on a locally made e-bike. The new Mayor is particularly interested in green initiatives, including promoting tree planting, supporting sustainable energy, and improving recycling.
As Town Mayor, Councillor Clayton aims to follow the success of his predecessors, Councillor Libby Ancrum and Councillor Claire Shea, who worked with the Sevenoaks community to make important investments in safer streets, better facilities for young people and safeguarding green spaces.
The Mayor has nominated Sevenoaks Area Youth Trust and Sevenoaks Citizens Advice as his two charities for the Civic Year. Sevenoaks Area Youth Trust works with the Town Council to deliver detached youth services and runs events for young people in collaboration with the House in the Basement, the Town Council’s youth centre at the Stag Theatre. Explaining why he had chosen Sevenoaks Citizens Advice as one of his nominated charities, the Mayor said, “I’ve been associated with the charity since I became a Councillor. Sevenoaks Citizens Advice harnesses volunteer expertise to help people make better decisions about their own lives. Not many people realise that it’s a charity, and it depends on people giving time and money to succeed”.
Looking forward to the year ahead, Councillor Clayton said, "We have big decisions to make on the future of Sevenoaks this year. Local government reorganisation should give the Town a chance to take more local control of parks and other services. There’s an exciting sports development at Greatness Recreation Ground due to start with Sevenoaks Football Club. We’re starting to develop ideas for community building at Greatness Lakes, as well as thinking about the long-term potential of the Stag to grow and play an even bigger role in plans for the Town Centre. I hope we can involve even more members of the Sevenoaks community to make the most of all these opportunities.”
The new Mayor added, “Town and Parish Councils will live through the local government changes affecting Districts and Counties, and will continue to speak for their communities. Sevenoaks Town Council will aim to capture the widest possible range of voices in charting the future of our wonderful town.”