Mayor elected for 2026/27
At the Annual Meeting of Tunbridge Wells Borough Council held on Wednesday 20 May, Councillor Bev Palmer was elected Mayor of Tunbridge Wells for the 2026/27 municipal year.
Cllr Palmer, who represents Hawkhurst, Sandhurst and Benenden, takes on the ceremonial role following Cllr David Osborne. Her consort for the year will be Martin Degenkolb.
During her mayoral year, Cllr Palmer will support and fundraise for two local charities: the Sea Cadets and Hospice in the Weald.
Cllr Palmer said:
I have chosen my charities for this mayoral year for very personal reasons. Hospice in the Weald provided incredible support when my mother was ill, and the care they give to local people and families at the most difficult of times is invaluable.
My other charity, the Sea Cadets, plays a vital role in supporting young people in Tunbridge Wells. They are currently seeking funds to redevelop their unit headquarters and provide opportunities for young people to build confidence, learn new skills and thrive in a safe, inclusive environment.
I am very much looking forward to meeting residents and promoting the Borough of Tunbridge Wells across Kent and beyond.
Cllr Palmer has served on Tunbridge Wells Borough Council since 2002 and has been a member of a number of committees, including Overview and Scrutiny, Audit and Governance, Planning, the Communities Cabinet Advisory Board and the Standards Board. She is currently the Council’s Armed Forces Champion.
Born in Sissinghurst, Cllr Palmer has strong family roots in the Weald of Kent. She spent part of her early life in Norfolk, then the USA, before returning to Kent, where she built her career across both the public and private sectors.
Cllr Palmer is a mother of two and a proud grandmother and great grandmother, and values spending time with her family. Her interests include local and national history, and she is a member of both the Hawkhurst Local History Society and the Richard III Society. She also enjoys motor racing and horse racing and has volunteered at major events including the British Grand Prix. As a Pit Marshal at Silverstone, she met leading Formula 1 drivers of the era including Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost.
The Deputy Mayor for 2026/27 is Councillor Astra Birch.
