A SCOUT park pioneer, a school cleaner and a top civil servant are among people in Kent recognised in the New Year honours list. Cecil Whitehead, the man who is the driving force behind Chatham's Buckmore Park Scout complex, was made a Commander of the British Empire.

Mr Whitehead, 80, who founded the original Buckmore Park in 1951, becomes a CBE for services to young people 38 years after receiving an Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Dorothy Rose Fissenden, a cleaner at Borough Green Primary School, receives the MBE for services to education.

Civil servant Jonathan Spencer, director general for business competitiveness in the Department of Trade and Industry, from Godmersham, near Ashford, has been awarded the Order of the Bath (CB). He has worked for 17 different Secretaries of State. He spent a couple of years in the cabinet office during Lady Thatcher's tenure at number 10 and was also principal private secretary to two Secretaries of State - Cecil Parkinson and Patrick Jenkins. "It's the 'Bernard' job in Yes Minister," said Mr Spencer.

Other Kent people honoured:

KNIGHTS BACHELOR

Michael Sydney Buckley, Parliamentary commissioner for Administration and Health Service commissioner for England, Wales and Scotland.

Charles Brandon Gough, formerly chairman, Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration, for public service (Sevenoaks).

ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

CBE

Miss Margaret Anne Hill, formerly assistant director, HM Board of Inland Revenue.

Mrs Dorothy Cheryl Miller, chief executive, East Sussex County Council, for services to Local Government (Tunbridge Wells).

OBE

Reginald Charles Colman, chairman, Kent European Youth Association, for services to Young People (Deal).

Ms Nicolette King, managing director, Isuzu Trucks UK Ltd, for services to the Road Transport Industry (Rochester).

William Elson Matthews, for services to Aboriculture (Penshurst, near Tonbridge).

Mrs Karen Ann Taylor, audit manager, National Audit Office (Sevenoaks).

Brian George Scott Tucker, regional marketing director, BAe Systems, for services to the Defence and Aerospace Industries (West Malling).

David Ernest Spencer Webster, for services to the Church of England (Tunbridge Wells).

Anthony Michael Whittaker. Grade B2, Ministry of Defence (Bromley).

MBE

Mrs Betty Alberta Betts, for services to the Kent Association for the Blind (Maidstone).

John Brooks, for services to the community, especially the NSPCC, in Maidstone.

Lewis Edwin Deal, for services to the Medway Aircraft Preservation Society (Medway).

Robert William Pullman Gillespie, for services to the Citizens Advice Bureau in Faversham,

Mrs Pamela Jean Howard, dance project officer, Hextable School, for services to education and to the community.

David Gilbert Gerald Kirby, chair of Governors, Angley School, Cranbrook, for services to Education (Benenden)

John Lockhart, for services to the community, especially the Kingfisher Project, in Maidstone.

David Charles McClintock, TD, for services to Botany (Sevenoaks).

Mrs Patricia Mary McMurchy, correspondence officer, Employment Tribunals Service, Department of Trade and Industry (Ashford).

Brian Molloy, director, Canterbury and Thanet Schools Counselling Service, for services to Special Needs Education (Canterbury).

William John Charles Musgrave, chair of Governors, Southwark Park School, London, for services to Education (Goudhurst).

Mrs Mary Rose Read, personal secretary, Dover District Council, for services to Local Government.

John Edward Reilly, director of Academic Administration, University of Kent and of UK Socrates-Erasmus Office, for services to Higher Education and to the Erasmus Programme (Canterbury).

Mrs Penelope Florence Stubbs, JP, DL, for services to the community in Ashford.

Peter James William Terry, administrative assistant, Department for Work and Pensions (Crayford).