Residents can now apply to sit on new panels shaping Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay town centres. Send a CV and 750 words by 2 November; posts are unpaid.

Residents of Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay can now apply to join new panels that will help decide which town centre projects come first. Canterbury City Council opened applications on Thursday 15 October. The closing date is Monday 2 November.

Updated 5 November: applications have closed. Councillor Chris Cornell told Cabinet on 3 November that about five times as many people applied as there are places, with interviews due next week and panels moving forward in December.

There will be three panels, one each for Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay. The council’s announcement says each will prioritise local projects, shape future plans, push for investment and weigh up new ideas for its town.

Cabinet set the panels up on 5 October, alongside the 40-point town centre action plan we reported on 13 October.

Who sits on a panel

The council’s information pack sets out two groups of members.

The elected side:

  • two city councillors
  • one county councillor
  • the local MP
  • in future, possibly town councillors and “shadow” councillors from any new council that replaces Canterbury City Council

The non-elected side:

  • three to six local institutions or partnerships
  • three to six other members, which is where residents come in
  • two officers, one each from the city and county councils

The chair comes from the non-elected side. The vice-chair is the cabinet member for the city and town centre strategies.

What the panels can and cannot do

The panels are advisory. The pack says they “do not currently hold funding”. Their job is to guide and challenge the council and help win new money for projects.

Each town already has a project directory, a list of ideas put forward by residents, businesses and others since the strategies were adopted in February 2026. The panels will help rank those projects and add new ones.

Cllr Chris Cornell, cabinet member for economic development and regeneration, said in the announcement that members would be “invited to help the council spend money raised from local developers from new house building, our own budgets and new grants we will secure along the way”.

The pack also says the panels are meant to keep a local voice through local government reorganisation, when Canterbury City Council is due to be replaced.

What it involves

  • Meetings: at least twice a year, in person, plus occasional workshops or working groups. The announcement says two or three meetings a year.
  • Term: normally three years to start with.
  • Pay: none. The posts are voluntary.
  • Who can apply: people who live or work in the town, or have a strong connection to it.

The council says it particularly wants to hear from business people, community leaders and volunteers, young professionals, and people working in heritage, tourism, hospitality, culture or regeneration.

How to apply

Email a CV and a supporting statement or covering letter, 750 words at most, to democracy@canterbury.gov.uk by Monday 2 November. The pack asks you to include:

  • your name and your home or work address
  • which panel you want to join: Canterbury, Whitstable or Herne Bay
  • your connection to that place
  • why you want to join
  • the experience, skills or perspectives you would bring
  • any organisations or interests you represent

Shortlisted people get an informal interview, led by the cabinet member and the council’s Director of Place.

Stage When
Applications close Monday 2 November
Shortlisting and interviews From 3 November
Appointments By 13 November
First panel meetings December 2026 or January 2027

The council calls this timetable indicative. Questions go to Democratic Services on 01227 862 000.

What it means for you

If you have strong views about Canterbury’s high street, Whitstable Harbour or Herne Bay seafront, this is a seat at the table where the projects are ranked. It is not a decision-making body, and it does not control a budget. But the council says it will use the panels to help steer developer contributions and new grants.

The application is short. A CV and 750 words is less than most job applications, and the deadline is just over two weeks away.

Sources