The new Mayor of Ipswich is Councillor John Cook (2022 - 2023).

“My wife Adele, my daughter Kim and I moved to Ipswich 22 years ago.  I’m proud of where I come from but am also very proud of our town and to serve as a councillor, and now as Mayor here.” 

“My experience of living elsewhere possibly gives me a greater appreciation of what my adopted town has to offer, much of which we have Ipswich Borough Council to thank for: Our parks, The Regent Theatre, Christchurch Mansion and Ipswich Museum, Ipswich Buses, the New Wolsey Theatre; Suffolk New College and the University of Suffolk.  It’s now hard for me to imagine living anywhere else.”

“I very much look forward to serving our Borough as Mayor, in the spirit of community and co-operation – my theme for the year.”

“Ipswich has been good to my family, but many in our community do not share our good fortune.  Homelessness and unemployment are a blight on our society.  As Deputy Mayor in 2021-22, I attended an event on the Cornhill to mark World Homelessness Day.  We have many impressive charities and agencies working in this area, and I had long conversations with each of the organisations represented at the event.  It is one of these charities that I have chosen as my Mayoral charity.”

“I have been impressed with the work that Emmaus Suffolk does to tackle entrenched homelessness, isolation and unemployment within Ipswich.  Emmaus supports people to work their way out of homelessness, providing meaningful work, training, support and a stable home for as long as someone needs it.  I’m hoping to raise funds during my mayoral year to help Emmaus sustain and expand their work, but also to place a spotlight on the impact that homelessness and unemployment has within our community.”