Welcoming the new Mayor of Chelmsford 2024–2025

Councillor Janette Potter has been elected Mayor of Chelmsford for 2024–25. The appointment was unanimously agreed by members of all parties at the Annual Full Council meeting last night (Wednesday 15 May 2024).  

The Mayor will be supported in her role by her Mayoress, Jackie Galley. Jackie previously served as Mayoress alongside her late husband, John Galley, who sadly passed away in 2022 during his mayoral term. 

Left: The Mayor of Chelmsford with her Mayoress and the Mayor's Chaplain, Rev'd David Cattle. Right: former Mayor's Consort, Ian Mascot, with the new Mayoress Jackie Galley.

Councillor Susan Sullivan has been selected as the Deputy Mayor for 2024-25. She will be supported by her husband, John Pioli. The Mayor also selected the Reverend David Cattle of St. Michael and All Angels, Galleywood, as her Mayor's Chaplain for 2024-25.

The Mayor’s chosen charity  

The new Mayor has chosen Farleigh Hospice as her charity. Based in Chelmsford, Farleigh Hospice provides hospice care to people affected by life-limiting illnesses and bereavement across mid Essex, and also supported the Mayor’s late husband, Terry Potter, towards the end of his life. The registered charity relies on donations to fund their services each day and the new Mayor’s fundraising activities for 2024–25 will go towards this. 

During her term of office, the Mayor will chair Full Council meetings in a ceremonial role and represent Chelmsford City Council by supporting local events and charities across the district. 

At the Full Council meeting, thanks were given to the retiring Mayor, Councillor Linda Mascot and her consort Ian Mascot, as well as to the outgoing Deputy Mayor Councillor Jude Deakin and her Deputy Mayoress Helen Deakin for their contributions to Chelmsford. 

Left: the former Mayor, Councillor Linda Mascot, with the former Deputy Mayor, Councillor Jude Deakin. Right: The new Mayor presents the former Mayor with a medal to mark her time in office.

About the new Mayor of Chelmsford 

Councillor Janette Potter moved to Galleywood Common in September 1982 with her late husband Terry. Their daughter Louise was born the following year. She also has three stepchildren Johanne, Martin and Helen, as well as eight grandchildren, ranging from the age of six to thirty. 

Councillor Potter was first elected in 1991 to represent the ward of Galleywood and has served as the ward’s councillor continuously for the past 33 years since.  She has served as Deputy Mayor of Chelmsford twice – in 1995–6 with Councillor Alan Wilshire, and in 2019–20 with Councillor Bob Massey.

The new Mayor has also been a Member of Galleywood Parish Council for over 25 years. She campaigned for a Heritage Centre to be established within the parish, which became a reality in 2009 and has been popular with visitors ever since. 

As a member of the Chelmsford Town Twinning committee, Councillor Potter has often visited Chelmsford’s twin towns of Backnang and Annonay, and will be returning to Backnang in June 2024 to represent the city council as the new Mayor of Chelmsford. 

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“I feel privileged to be Chelmsford’s Mayor for 2024–25 and hope that I will do this role justice as my predecessors have before me.

“I have chosen Farleigh Hospice as my charity for the year. Farleigh provides hospice and end of life care to people affected by life-limiting illnesses and bereavement across mid Essex with dignity, care and compassion”

Councillor Janette Potter, Mayor of Chelmsford

About the Deputy Mayor of Chelmsford 

Councillor Susan Sullivan was born in Essex and has lived in Chelmsford for most of her adult life. She currently lives in Chelmer Village with her husband John Pioli, who will be her Deputy Mayor’s Consort. 

In addition to her role as city councillor for Chelmer Village and Beaulieu Park ward, Susan has served as a parish councillor for 20 years and currently chairs the Chelmer Village Council.   

Since taking early retirement from her business career at Ford Motor Company, she has been able to devote more time to the community.  She is active in the Chelmsford Star Co-operative Society and the Fairtrade movement and is a trustee of a local charity. She was a founding trustee of the Beaulieu Community Trust and has been thrilled to see that community develop from the ground up. 

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“I am honoured to support the Mayor in the year ahead with as many local events as possible.” 

Councillor Susan Sullivan, Deputy Mayor of Chelmsford 

All residents welcome to Mayor’s Civic Service   

The new Mayor would like to invite Chelmsford’s residents to join her at the annual Civic Service, which will be held on Sunday 9 June 2024 at 3.30pm in Chelmsford Cathedral. 

Requests to invite the Mayor to an event or engagement can be submitted on the Chelmsford City Council website.