Tim has lived and worked in Sandgate (on Sandgate High Street) since 2004.
A trustee of the Sandgate Heritage Trust, Secretary of the Sandgate Members Club, Treasurer and Trustee of the Chichester Memorial Hall, former Trustee of the Gurkha Memorial Fund and former Governor of St Martin's School, and current Sandgate Speedwatch volunteer, Tim knows and works for the area!
Tim is honoured and delighted to have been elected as:
In May 2025 Tim won the Kent County Council seat from the Conservatives. He was the only non-Reform Councillor elected that day anywhere in Folkestone & Hythe, Dover & Deal, Ashford or Thanet.
In May 2023 Tim was re-elected to all the above town and district seats for four more years. At the District Council AGM on 24th May 2023, he became Deputy Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Governance.
Previously, Tim has served on Folkestone Town Councillor for Cheriton from 2006-2011, and Shepway District Councillor for Cheriton from 2007-2011, Kent County Councillor for Folkestone West from 2009-2013. He has sat on Sandgate Parish Council for Sandgate Village since 2011, was the Vice Chair of Sandgate Parish Council from 2018-2020 and Chair from 2020 to date.
Contact Tim by email to tim@prater.uk, call 07956 276118 or write to 98a Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY. As a District Councillor he runs monthly surgeries at the 1st Sandgate Farmers and Makers Market of every month at the Chichester Hall, 70 Sandgate High Street from 11am-12.30pm (and has each month since election in 2019). No appointment needed: just turn up.
Folkestone West County Councillor Tim Prater has welcomed the statement by Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter on Kent Schools and Academy status. Previously, Mr Cater had advised all schools to consider academy status, but in a letter to school governors issued today, he changed that position.
Before you break up for the summer holidays for some well-earned rest and relaxation, I thought it would be helpful if I dropped you a line to clarify Kent County Council's, and my own, thoughts on academy status.
Rhodes Minnis Cat Sanctuary is holding an Open day on the 24th July 2011 at 11am to 4.30pm. There will be tours of the Sanctuary allowing people to make friends with our 100+ homeless cats.
The annual Sandgate Sea and Food Festival 2011 will be held this year on Sunday 28th August. Alongside the family fun, music and live bands, craft market and more on that day there will be an extended seafront market on Granville Parade, with a great mix of food stalls, games, high-quality bric-a-brac and more.
Kent Trading Standards are advising businesses to be wary if they are considering booking corporate hospitality tickets for the British Open Golf Championship in Sandwich 2011, as we have received complaints about companies offering expensive tickets/packages that they are not able to supply/provide.
Refurbishment of Sandgate's Granville Parade / Beach toilets is now complete and the toilets re-opened to the public - 3 weeks ahead of the expected deadline date of 22 July.
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Tim's Council Record of Service
| Council | Seat | Dates | Years |
| Kent County Council | Folkestone West | 2009-2013 | 4 |
| Kent County Council | Cheriton, Sandgate and Hythe East | 2025- | |
| Shepway District Council | Cheriton | 2007-2011 | 4 |
| Folkestone and Hythe District Council | Sandgate & West Folkestone | 2019- | 6 |
| Sandgate Parish Council | Sandgate Village | 2011- | 14 |
| Folkestone Town Council | Cheriton | 2006-2011 | 5 |
| Folkestone Town Council | Folkestone Harvey West | 2019- | 6 |
| Hythe Town Council | Hythe East | 2019- | 6 |
| 45 |
