The Council is requested to consider the following recommendation from the Licensing and General Purposes Committee at its meeting on 20 January, 2022 (minute 15 refers):

That the Council be recommended to confer the title of Honorary Alderwoman on former Councillor Jean Stapleton in accordance with Section 249(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Minute and report attached.

The Council considered the recommendations from the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee held on 20 January, 2022 (minute 15 refers) in relation to the conferment of the title of Honorary Alderwoman on former Councillor Jean Stapleton, in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The report informed that Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 provided that the title of Honorary Alderman or Honorary Alderwoman might be conferred by the Council on persons who were persons of distinction and/or who had, in its opinion, rendered eminent service to the place or area. The title was to be conferred by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the Members voting on it at a meeting of the Council specially convened for the purpose.

It was moved by Councillor Andrew Hodson and seconded by Councillor Chris Jones that the Council be recommended to confer the title of Honorary Alderwoman on former Councillor Jean Stapleton in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Following speeches from a number of Members who all expressed their own fond memories of working with former Councillor Jean Stapleton, the motion was put and it was –

Resolved (unanimously) - That the title of Honorary Alderwoman be conferred on former Councillor Jean Stapleton in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Director of Law and Governance submitted a report requesting that Members of the Committee give consideration as to whether to recommend to Council that the title of Honorary Alderwoman be conferred on former Councillor Jean Stapleton.

The Head of Democratic Services reported that former Councillor Jean Stapleton had been a Member of the Council from 4 May 2000 and had represented Birkenhead and Tranmere Ward as a Labour Party Member until 6 May 2021.  The Council had previously determined that former Members who had served twenty years on the Council or a predecessor Council were eligible for nomination to this award and therefore former Councillor Jean Stapleton is eligible to have the title of Honorary Alderwoman conferred upon her.

Members were informed that Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 provides that the title of Honorary Alderman or Honorary Alderwoman may be conferred by the Council on persons who are persons of distinction and/or who have, in its opinion, rendered eminent service to the place or area.  The title is to be conferred by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the Members voting on it at a meeting of the Council specially convened for the purpose.

It was reported that successful nominees for the office of Honorary Aldermen and Alderwoman of this Council had previously been awarded a suitable badge at a special ceremony.  Currently, former Councillor Jean Stapleton was the only former Councillor eligible to be appointed as an Honorary Alderwoman based on the Council’s criteria.

Members were further informed that the intention would be to present former Councillor Jean Stapleton with a badge of office, the total cost of which would be approximately £682.75 and there would also be the small cost of inscribing her name on the Roll of Honour board which could be met from existing budgets.

Resolved – That the conferment of the title of Honorary Alderwoman on former Councillor Jean Stapleton be recommended to Council in accordance with Section 249(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.