Agenda item

To consider options for the convening of a special Council meeting to appoint Honorary Aldermen and Freemen.

The Sub Committee considered a report on the options open to the Council in relation to the convening of a Special Meeting to appoint Honorary Alderman and Freemen.

Section 249 of the Local Government 1972 allowed Local Authorities to appoint both Honorary Freemen and Honorary Aldermen.  The criterion for appointment as Freemen was that an individual should be a “person of distinction” and have “rendered eminent service to the place or area”.  The criterion for appointment as Honorary Alderman was that an individual “should have rendered eminent service to the Council as [a] past Member of the Council.  There was no bar on an individual being both a Honorary Freeman and a Honorary Alderman. 

Cheshire East Council’s Policy in relation to the appointment of Honorary Aldermen was that a former Member should have served for a minimum of ten years (including service on one of the four demised authorities) and/or have served as Leader or Mayor of Cheshire East. 

Seven Members who either stood down in May or who were unsuccessful in seeking re-election had been appointed by one of the four demised authorities as a Honorary Aldermen before the creation of Cheshire East and these individuals automatically became Honorary Aldermen of Cheshire East on 11 May 2015 when their term as an elected Councillor ended.  No formal action needed to be taken to recognise the position of these seven former Members.

There were twelve other former Members whose service on Cheshire East and/or one of the demised authorities would qualify them for appointment as Honorary Aldermen.

The Leader of the Council had indicated at a meeting of the Council earlier in the year that he wished to see a number of Members who were standing down from the Council appointed as Freemen of the Borough.  These Members had satisfied the test of having rendered eminent service to Cheshire East. 

It was noted that a number of Members would be appointed to the position of Honorary Alderman and Honorary Freeman.

The Local Government Act specified that both Honorary Freemen and Honorary Aldermen must be appointed at a Special Meeting of Council, with the appointment being endorsed by a two thirds majority of those Members in attendance at the meeting.

The Sub Committee asked that the Policy for the Appointment of Honorary Aldermen and Honorary Freeman be reviewed, taking into account examples of best practice from other local authorities.

RESOLVED:

1          That a report be taken to the Constitution Committee recommending that a Special Meeting of the Council be held on Thursday 17 December 2015; immediately before the planned meeting of the Council being held on that day. 

2          That the following former Members be proposed for appointment as Honorary Aldermen:

·         David Brickhill

·         Roy Cartlidge

·         Ken Edwards

·         Wesley Fitzgerald

·         Shirley Jones

·         Frank Keegan

·         Peggy Martin

·         Brendan Murphy

·         David Neilson

·         Andrew Thwaite

·         David Topping

·         Roger West

3          That the following former Members be proposed for appointment as Honorary Aldermen:

·         Carolyn Andrew

·         David Brickhill

·         Roland Domleo

·         Shirley Jones

·         Chris Thorley

·         David Topping

·         Steve Wilkinson

4          That the Policy for the Appointment of Honorary Aldermen and Honorary Freemen be reviewed.