The Chairman

The Chairman of the Council is the first citizen of the Mid Sussex District and the Office of Chairman is the most important civic appointment in the District.

By custom, it is usual for the Chairman to be accorded precedence in his/her own District over everyone except His Majesty the King and members of the Royal Family, or the Lord Lieutenant of the County when he/she is representing the Crown.

The Chairman is elected annually by their 47 fellow Councillors and serves for a period of 12 months during the civic year, which begins in May.

Current Chairman

The current Chairman of Mid Sussex District Council is Councillor Rodney Jackson

Chairman's events

The Chairman attends various functions and events throughout the year.

Should you wish to invite the Chairman to attend an event, please contact Democratic Services with as much notice as possible:

Email: committees@midsussex.gov.uk
Tel: 01444-477222 (option 2)
Online: Chairman's Engagement Form

If the Chairman is unavailable to attend, where possible, the Vice Chairman will attend on their behalf.

The details below show the official engagements which the Chairman is currently scheduled to attend over the coming month.

Upcoming Events

Past Events

Chairman's charity

The newly elected Chairman of Mid Sussex District Council, Councillor Rodney Jackson, has chosen to support the nationwide charity Winston’s Wish – the UK’s first childhood bereavement charity - during his term of office.

The national data available suggests that nearly 1 million 0-25 year olds in the UK will have experienced the death of a parent, brother or sister. Without the right support the consequences are potentially devastating which is why Cllr Jackson is supporting Winston’s Wish as his chosen charity.

Winston’s Wish have supported many thousands of children and young people through their grief since 1992. Their team understands that grief is a personal experience which is why they focus on the individual needs of every child and young person to offer the right level of support, in the right way at the right time.

By choosing Winston’s Wish, Cllr Jackson hopes that he can help the organisation to achieve their mission to make sure no child or young person ever has to face grief alone.

Showing his support for his chosen charity Councillor Jackson said:

“During my time as a Boarding School House Master and also as a Scout Leader there were a number of occasions where children in my care suffered the loss of a parent. I felt that these youngsters needed some experienced support. Help I felt inadequate to provide. Winston's Wish provides bereavement support to children.’’

Fundraising and donations are key to Winston’s Wish being able to support children and their families. Volunteering is also important with a range of volunteering opportunities including, community ambassadors, counsellors and therapists.

To find out more about Winston’s Wish and ways to support them or get involved visit their website at www.winstonswish.org, telephone 01242 515 157 or email community@winstonswish.org

Vice Chairman of Mid Sussex District Council

The Vice Chairman acts as deputy to the Chairman at Council meetings and also attends functions and events throughout the year. The current Vice-Chairman of Mid Sussex District Council is Councillor Janice Henwood.

Last updated: 21 August 2023