Council is requested to consider the following recommendation from the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee at its meeting on 7 June 2023 (minute 9 refers):

That the conferment of the title of Honorary Alderman on former Councillors Tony Smith and Dave Mitchell be recommended to Council 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 7 June 2023 (minute 9 refers) in relation to the conferment of the title of Honorary Alderman on former Councillors Dave Mitchell and Tony Smith, 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 Stephen Bennett that the Council be recommended to confer the title of Honorary Alderman on former Councillors Dave Mitchell and Tony Smith in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.

Several Councillors made speeches about the two Councillors, who had both served as Civic Mayor of Wirral. Members spoke of the 40 years of continuous service that Dave Mitchell had achieved on the Council, and his extensive knowledge and dedication to the Licensing process. Members further recalled Tony Smith’s service as a retired teacher and educational psychologist which gave him the requisite skills to serve as cabinet member for Children’s Services.

Following speeches, the motion was put to the vote, and it was –

Resolved (unanimously) - That the title of Honorary Alderman be conferred on former Councillors Dave Mitchell and Tony Smith 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 Alderman be conferred on former Councillors Tony Smith and Dave Mitchell.

The Civic and Electoral Services Manager reported that former Councillor Tony Smith had been a Member of the Council from May 1995 representing Bebington Ward as a Labour Party Member and served as the Member for Upton Ward since 2004 until May 2023 and had served as Mayor of Wirral for the Municipal Years 2019-20 and 2020-21.  Former Councillor Tony Smith had also been a Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion and Children’s Services during his service to Wirral Council.

It was reported that former Councillor Dave Mitchell had been a Member of the Council from May 1983, representing Eastham Ward as Liberal Democrat Member until May 2023.  Former Councillor Dave Mitchell had served as Mayor of Wirral for the Municipal Year 2013-14, had been the Chair of Planning Committee when the Wirral Waters development had been approved and was also a Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation.  He was also a member of the Mersey Port Health Authority, the North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority and had also served on the Merseytravel Committee.

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 Councillors Tony Smith and Dave Mitchell were eligible to have the title of Honorary Alderman conferred upon them.

On a motion by Councillor Mike Sullivan and seconded by Councillor Andrew Gardner it was –

Resolved – That the conferment of the title of Honorary Alderman on former Councillors Tony Smith and Dave Mitchell be recommended to Council in accordance with Section 249(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.