Chairman of the Council
 | The Chairman of North Hertfordshire District Council, David Levett, was born in Middlesbrough in 1957, his father was a steelworker and his mother, a housewife. He went to Berwick Hills Primary School then to Langbaurgh Secondary School before transferring to Middlesbrough High School. His parents still live in Middlesbrough. David then went to Shoreditch College of Education, training as a Design Technology Teacher where he met his future wife Diane who he married in 1979 at RAF Henlow where her parents were then stationed. They first lived in Pirton, moving to Hitchin in 1980 and then to Letchworth in 1983, where they have lived ever since. |
David has mainly worked in engineering related industries and currently works for Accord Engineering in Hitchin as Sales and Production Manager. He is also a qualified professional scuba diving instructor although no longer actively teaching.
At college, David served on the executive committee of the Student Union and was a college representative to the National Union of Students (NUS). He was also the branch secretary of National Association of Local Government Officers (NALGO) whilst working for a local hospital and represented the region on the national health group.
David has four grown up daughters, the youngest of whom is 19. They were all educated in Letchworth and three of them still live in the town.
He has a diverse range of interests, his current main one being the ongoing restoration of his classic car, a 1971 Triumph Spitfire.
David was first elected to North Hertfordshire District Council in 2006 to represent Letchworth South East Ward. Due to boundary changes and the election cycle, he stood again for election in 2007 and 2008, increasing his majority on both occasions.
David was instrumental in setting up the Letchworth East and South East Police Locality Panel and he is currently the NHDC representative for Letchworth Garden City Town Twinning. He was a governor of Lannock School until its closure last year and sits on the committee of Jackmans Community Association. Outside the District Council, he is a General Governor for the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation.
David has played a very active role in the Council in the last four years. He served on the Performance Audit and Review Committee (PARC) from 2006 to 2010, the Planning Control Committee from 2007 to 2010 and has been a member of task and finish groups for transport and deprived areas. David was Chairman of the Letchworth Area Committee from 2007 to 2009, when he was appointed as Vice-Chairman of North Hertfordshire District Council.
David intends to use his role as Chairman to raise the profile of North Hertfordshire District Council and what it does for the local area and the people who live there. With this in mind, David has chosen a theme of ‘Communities’ for his year in office.
The Chairman of the Council is elected by the whole Council and serves for one year. He or she represents the District at a wide range of public events on a non party political basis.
The Leader of the Council is nominated by the majority party and is the political head of the administration. The new Leader of North Hertfordshire District Council is Councillor Lynda Needham, formerly Portfolio Holder for Waste, Recycling and Environment.
If you belong to an organisation which is community-based, is planning an event to celebrate a special occasion and wish the Chairman to join you, please contact the Chairman's office to check his availability to attend. You can either ring 01462 474648, or email his secretary Susanne.Gow 
. Alternatively, you could download the form below and return it to Susanne by post or e-mail (contact details are on the form).
Chairman's Engagement Form (27.4KB) (link opens in a new window)
The Vice-Chairman for the Civic Year 2010-2011 is Cllr Michael Weeks. He lives in Baldock and represents the Baldock Town Ward.
Protocol
Under the Local Government Act 1972 the Chairman of the Council is First Citizen of the District, and at events within the District takes precedence over everyone except the Queen's Representative (the Lord Lieutenant for Hertfordshire). If the Vice Chairman is attending an engagement in place of the Chairman, he or she takes the same precedence.
The Chairman of North Hertfordshire District Council always takes precedence over the Mayors of the Town Councils.
Civic Insignia
The Chairman's badge on the Chain of Office is worn by the Chairman of North Herts District Council during his/her Civic Year when representing the District Council at civic and community events.
The Arms or shield indicates the historical background and the diagonal stripes give the manorial history of Baldock and Letchworth Garden City through the colours of the Clare and Montfichet and the Barrington families. The ermine is from the shield of the Lytton family of Knebworth and suggests the royal manor of Hitchin. It represents Ermine Street running north through the District to join the ancient Icknield Way at Royston. On the top part of the shield, the fleece between two sheaves of barley symbolises the traditional activities of the area - agriculture, malting, wool and straw-plaiting.
The Crest indicates special features associated with North Hertfordshire. The bird (the Royston Crow), stands on a gold crown which is also featured in the Hertfordshire County arms. The crossed branches of oak represent the pioneering of the Garden City movement in Letchworth and the crown has five battlements, symbolising the union of five authorities in one, repeated in the five points on each antler of the hart.
The Supporters are the harts featured in the County Arms, but with the addition of gold pentagons charged with black cogwheels hanging from crowns. The pentagons refer to the union of the five authorities and the cogwheels to the establishment of modern industries in the area.
The Council's Motto MEMORES ACTI PRUDENTES FUTURI translates as "We are mindful of the past and careful for the future". It combines themes from the mottoes of Hitchin and Letchworth Garden City and recognises the contribution made by all the former authorities to the life and work of the new one. In Latin, it recalls the Roman associations of Baldock, Royston and Ermine Street.
