The Speaker of Lewisham

In Lewisham the Speaker fulfils the role of a civic Mayor.

The Speaker performs ceremonial and public duties as the civic leader of the Council. This includes chairing full council meetings, attending community events, welcoming visitors and new citizens to Lewisham and working with other civic mayors and dignitaries across London and beyond.

The Speaker is the Council’s representative at important local events, such as Remembrance Sunday and hosts fundraising events for the Mayor’s charity.

The Speaker is a serving councillor elected to the position for one year by fellow councillors at the Council’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The current Speaker of Lewisham is  Cllr Jacq Paschoud.

Having previously served as the Speaker from 2018 to 2019 and from 2019 to 2020, Cllr Paschoud is excited to take on the role of Speaker of Lewisham for 2024/25.

Cllr Paschoud was first elected as a Bellingham ward councillor in 2011. She is a member of the Royal British Legion and The Last Post Association. She is keen to use her time as Speaker to represent the Council across the borough and raise money for the Mayor’s Charity.

The Deputy Speaker is Cllr Laura Cunningham.

Invite the Speaker to an event

The Speaker welcomes invitations from local groups and organisations, including community groups, schools, and charities. She is happy to talk about the work of the Council or to attend events such as fetes, concerts, and ceremonies. If you would like to invite the Speaker to your event, please email the Civic Events team.

The Speaker will try to attend either in person or by asking the Deputy Speaker or a relevant councillor.