Paul Carter became Leader of Kent County Council in October 2005.

From his election to the County Council in 1997 until he assumed the leadership, Paul held responsibility for the Education portfolio overseeing the education of 240,000 children in 600 schools and a further 32,000 3 & 4 year olds in early years. He was and remains especially committed to transforming education and oversaw the introduction of an exciting 14-16 vocational education programme in Kent. He has also fought hard to retain special schools to ensure that children with Special Educational Needs are given the support and help they need to reach their full potential.

Paul believes passionately that public services should at all times put the resident first, be as bureaucratic free as possible, delivering quality and excellent value for money.

Since September 2008, Paul has been Chairman of the South East England Councils (SEEC), set up to champion quality of life in the South East.

SEEC represents all 74 Councils in the region and Paul was elected as its first Chairman.

Outside local government, Paul still runs a number of land based businesses in property, construction and retail businesses in central London. Historically developing large residential developments Paul was a founding partner of Gander PLC, the first property company on AIM (Alternative Investment Market). His retail businesses have all been construction related; builders’ merchants, architectural ironmongery and decorators’ merchants.