Councillor Stefan Long elected as one of the youngest Mayors of Ipswich in 200 years

A town’s new mayor has been voted in as one of the youngest to take up the ceremonial role in 200 years of history.

Councillors across Ipswich elected Cllr Stefan Long, 36, as the town’s new mayor during yesterday evening’s annual council meeting alongside Cllr Pat Bruce-Browne as his deputy.

Donning the formal red mayoral gown, he said he would take up the role with ‘gratitude and pride’ and described the opportunity to represent Ipswich as both an honour and a privilege.

Cllr Long, who was elected to Ipswich Borough Council in 2022 for the Rushmere ward, said inclusion would be at the forefront of his year-long mandate, promising to represent every resident regardless of background.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Long said his schedule had already started to fill up with work related to charities as well as community groups.

Though ceremonial, he added, his role was a staple of Ipswich’s historic importance.

Cllr Long’s election marked the end of Cllr Elango Elavalakan’s tenure as mayor, who was unanimously elected last year as the first person of Sri Lankan heritage to wear the red gown.

Looking back at his past year, Cllr Elavalakan said he was lucky to have experienced many great things, including Ipswich Town’s promotion into the Premier League, the Ipswich Town FC Women’s recent promotion into the Championship, and being the returning officer who announced Jack Abbott as the new MP for the town.

Cllr Neil MacDonald, the council’s leader, who recommended Cllr Elavalakan a year ago, thanked him for his service to the town, describing him as a ‘mayor with a smile on his face’.