Tribute To Councillor Edward Waite

Edward Waite grew up in Southampton and moved to Sevenoaks with his parents in 1991 - and he represented the area of our town in which some of his family still live, Eastern Ward.

He won his Bachelor of Science degree - in Economics - at Bath University, and worked for a while in Japan. Ed returned to the UK in 2002, before qualifying as a solicitor in 2008.

His early experience of the Health Service led him to give something back to the NHS, and he was elected for two terms as a Patient Governor of the Harefield Hospital Trust, a role he served in until 2022. He took on the task of chair of its Membership Committee, charged with the job of involving the public and staff in the work of the trust to ensure its governance was anchored in the community.

When he came back to live in Sevenoaks with his wife Yuko, and later his daughter Megumi who was born in Pembury and lives in Sevenoaks, he decided he would like to give something back to our community too, serving as a member of the Council. He was elected to Sevenoaks Town Council in May 2015, and worked on most of its committees, as well as on the Stag Trustee Board. His legal training and his experience in a nationally renown Trust gave him valuable grounding in how publicly accountable organisations should be run.

To his fellow ward councillors Ed was an unfailingly conscientious colleague, clear in his convictions that everyone has the right to be heard. All in Sevenoaks Town Council, members and officers, knew him as someone determined to do his best for Sevenoaks, a really good councillor, modest, always considerate and a lovely person to know.

Our thoughts are with his family, and we will all miss him. Sevenoaks has lost, far too early, someone who was able to make a real difference.

Ed was a member of the congregation at St Nicholas parish church, which will hosf his memorial service on Tuesday 22nd March at 11.30 am; t St Nicholas Church - Rectory Ln, Sevenoaks TN13 1JA