Former mayor Hamil Clarke is set to have another term as the town’s first citizen.

The Sprites Labour councillor is set to be nominated as mayor at the borough’s annual meeting on May 15 – taking over from Mary Blake who will become deputy mayor.

Mr Clarke, 73, was previously mayor in 1998-1999 and is a former chairman of the Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality. He was awarded the MBE for his work for community relations.

He has been on the council for a total of 18 years after first being elected to the authority as a member for Whitton. He now represents Sprites Ward.

He has lived in Ipswich since 1960 and was first elected to the borough in 1990. He ran his own business in the town for many years.

His Mayoress will be his partner, Daisy Weekes.

Mr Clarke said he was very proud of his home town – and its tolerant approach to community relations was known across the country.

He said: “I haven’t yet thought what the theme of my mayoralty will be or what my charities will be – but I would like to do something linked to binding the town together.

“Given the significant number of communities we have in this town, people get on pretty well together. I’ve been all over the country and when I say I’m from Ipswich people often comment that they’ve heard this is a town where people get on very well together.

“I want to help that to continue.”

Mr Clarke accepted his mayoralty this time will be very different to that in 1998: “Things have changed quite a bit since then – but I hope I haven’t changed!” he said with a smile.

Do you want to congratulate Mr Clarke? Write to Your Letters, Ipswich Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail starletters@archant.co.uk