The Role of the Lord-Lieutenant

 

The Lord-Lieutenant is HM The King’s personal representative in the county.

The Role

Appointed By The King

The Lord-Lieutenant is appointed by The King on the advice of the Prime Minister of the day and the appointment ends on his/her 75th Birthday. There is an establishment of up to 70 Deputy Lieutenants in Kent who are able to represent The Lord-Lieutenant as required, and assist in the work of the Lieutenancy, including liaison with the 14 Local Authorities. The Lieutenancy plays no part in politics.

The Lord-Lieutenant presents medals on the Monarch’s behalf when directed to do so.

The Kent Lieutenancy supports the Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service across the County and The Lord-Lieutenant presents the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and Exports, organised by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, on The Queen’s behalf.

The Lieutenancy’s aspiration is to support The Monarch in celebrating Kent, its unique history and culture, serve its communities and contribute positively to its future.

HM The King
Summary

The Role & Duties

  • Lord-Lieutenants are appointed by the Sovereign on the recommendation of the Prime Minister.
  • The Lord-Lieutenant represents the Sovereign in the ancient and ceremonial County of Kent, which includes the Kent County Council and Medway Council administrative areas.
  • The duties include looking after members of the Royal Family and Heads of State when they pay official visits to the County of Kent.
  • The Lord-Lieutenant chairs the County’s Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace and their appointment – and there are more than 900 JPs in Kent.
  • Lieutenancy duties also include presenting honours on behalf of the Crown, and involvement in the honours system.
  • The Lieutenancy maintains close relationships with the Armed Forces, reflecting the ancient office’s original responsibility for the maintenance of order and local defence of the County.
  • The Lord-Lieutenant leads the 70 or so influential Deputy Lieutenants County-wide and is increasingly providing the organisation for their individual networks to interlock for the benefit of Kent’s varied communities.
  • The role of the Lieutenancy is entirely non-political. The appointment carries no pay.
  • Lord-Lieutenants do not normally retire until they are 75.

Charities

In her role as Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, Lady Colgrain is pleased to have been invited to take on roles with many of the County’s charities.

Lady Colgrain is President of:
  • ABF The Soldier’s Charity
  • Association of Men of Kent and Kentish Men
  • Kent County Priory Group of the Order of St John
  • SSAFA Kent
Lady Colgrain is Patron of:
  • Action with Communities in Rural Kent
  • Dover Town Patronage Board
  • Friends of Kent Churches
  • Gillingham Street Angels
  • Kent Community Foundation
  • Ride and Stride
  • Royal British Legion, Kent
  • Safer Kent
Lady Colgrain is a Trustee of:

Canterbury Cathedral Trust and Friends of Canterbury Cathedral and she is a Kent Ambassador.

Magistracy

The Lord-Lieutenant and the Magistracy of Kent

In 2011 Justices of The Peace celebrated the 650th anniversary of their creation in 1361. This ancient office continues to provide local justice for local citizens. Magistrates continue to be drawn from people of good character who are required to sit in judgement on their peers. Traditionally the Lord-Lieutenant was responsible to the Crown for enforcing law and order and held the power to appoint Justices of the Peace to The Magistrates Bench, a traditional term for the Panel of Magistrates, within the County.

Today the Lord-Lieutenant chairs the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Panel on the Magistracy, whose task is to select suitable persons from volunteers to join the Bench from a wide variety of walks of life. The Magistracy still holds true to its origins of passing local judgement on their peers. In Kent there are about 350 Justices of the Peace allocated to three Benches, Central, East and North Kent, Justices of the Peace are expected to sit a minimum of 13 days a year. The role is unpaid.

The Advisory Panel will call for volunteers to fill vacancies, as they become available. Successful applicants will be sworn in before the Magistrates Liaison Judge. The Lord-Lieutenant is present in Maidstone Crown Court for the ceremony. This is followed by a period of training before new Magistrates are qualified to sit in Court .

Those interested in applying to become a Magistrate should seek further information from:

Government Website

The Lord-Lieutenant wishes to encourage all those, who feel they have the capability to rise to the challenge, particularly the younger members of society, to volunteer themselves for this fulfilling and worthwhile duty to for the community.