Chairman of the Council

 

At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, the Chairman of the Council is elected in May of each year.

The role of the Chairman is to provide civic and ceremonial leadership, by attending various functions on behalf of their Council. The Chairman also chairs and manage the meetings of Full Council and ensures that the Council's Constitution is upheld.

Once elected, the Chairman rises above party politics in chairing meetings of Full Council, and acts as the Council's representative at formal (and less formal) public engagements during their year in office. The Chairman wears a chain of office when carrying out most duties but, unlike a Mayor, does not have any formal robes.

Full Council also elects the Vice Chairman of the Council in May of each year. The Vice Chairman, in the absence of the Chairman, takes on a full deputising role.

 

Councillor Peter Burgoyne, Babergh District Council Chairman.

Councillor Kathryn Grandon, Babergh District Council Vice Chairman.

 

Councillor Derrick Haley, Mid Suffolk District Council Chairman.

Councillor John Levantis, Mid Suffolk District Council Vice Chairman.

 

How to contact the Civic Office

If you would like to contact either Chairman or invite them to an event, please contact:

Pauline Taylor, Civic Officer
civic@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk
Mobile: 07702 897091 or 07860 829538

 

Charities

The charity supported by the Babergh District Council Chairman is The Chilton Club – Age UK Suffolk.

The Club provides a vital service to local older people in Sudbury and the surrounding area who are experiencing the effects of dementia or memory problems.

It provides a secure environment for people who may be desperately lonely to find company and friendship, enjoy a cooked meal and benefit from fun and stimulating activities.

The Club also provides information and support to those facing the daunting reality of dementia or memory problems.

 

The charities supported by the Mid Suffolk District Council Chairman are the Museum of East Anglian Life and Suffolk Family Carers.

The Museum of East Anglian Life in Stowmarket is a charity and social enterprise sharing the compelling story of East Anglian lives through historic buildings, collections and landscape. Their aim is to enrich people’s lives, encouraging enjoyment, learning and participation through their public programmes, training and volunteering schemes.

Founded in 1967 they restore, maintain and interpret 20 historic buildings, 40,000 objects in 75 acres of natural environment including water meadows. The Museum is a community hub – a village in a town.

Suffolk Family Carers supports people who look after someone who is ill. Carers can be any age and can support a family member or close neighbour/friend who has a long-term illness or condition, including physical and mental ill health and substance misuse issues.

Caring can be very difficult thing where the caring role is intensive (e.g. 24 hours a day), where the carer is isolated with no support and where there is a lack of money to cover the household costs, which is a very common situation in caring households.

For young carers, the pressures can be immense. Young carers are more likely to be socially isolated, bullied, suffer from mental ill-health and under-achieve at school than their peers. Suffolk Family Carers make sure that young carers experience a childhood and are prevented from engaging in excessive or inappropriate caring roles.