Biography
Kit Malthouse was born in 1966 and brought up in Liverpool.
After completing his degree in politics and economics at Newcastle, Kit qualified as a Chartered Accountant with an international firm in the City of London. Since then Kit's life has been split between his family, his business and London politics.
In 1998 he was elected to Westminster City Council.
Kit's first major job on the Council was to head up the Social Services department, dealing with the elderly, disabled, children and vulnerable people. During his time in the department he initiated a number of radical policy initiatives, most notably more than halving the number of street homelessness in the City, and steered the Department towards achieving the highest marks in the country from the Social Services Inspectorate.
Kit was then elected as Deputy Leader of the Council and was appointed Cabinet member for Finance by Simon Milton, the Council Leader.
During the five years he remained in this job he remained in this job he increased council reserves by more than £50m, delivered one of the lowest council tax levels in the country, and was part of the team that kept Westminster at the top of the league tables throughout.
During his eight years on the Council Kit lead a number of high profile policy initiatives and campaigns:
Homelessness
BBC NEWS - Begging money 'used to buy drugs'
Camden Council - Don't "Kill with Kindness"
Prostitutes Cards
London Councils - London Bulletin: Members' forum
Census Campaign
BBC NEWS - Thousands found in census review
http://www.ipr.org.uk/excellence/_casestudies05/PublicAffairs.htm
Zero Council Tax by 2010
BBC NEWS - No council tax charge 'by 2012'
Financial Times - Westminster aims to be zero council tax area
He stood down from the council in 2006 with reserves more than doubled and council tax frozen at the lowest in the country. He is now seeking election to the London Assembly. Election Day is 1st May 2008.
Kit came to London nearly 20 years ago.
He lives near Victoria Station with his family. Kit's wife Juliana Farha is a Canadian internet entrepreneur, and the founder of www.dilettantemusic.com
