Members of the Council are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or any other relevant interest, in connection with any matter to be debated or determined at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

The Members of the Council were invited to consider whether they had any disclosable pecuniary and/or any other relevant interest in connection with any matters to be determined at this meeting and, if so, to declare it and state the nature of such interest.

No such declarations were made.

To receive the Civic Mayor's announcements and any apologies for absence.

The Civic Mayor announced that apologies had been received from Councillors Pat Cleary, Tony Cottier, Samantha Frost, Sharon Jones, Stuart Kelly and Tom Usher.

The Council is requested to consider the following recommendation of the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee at its meeting on 18 November, 2020 (minute 8 attached):

That the posthumous conferment of the title of Honorary Alderman on former Councillor Bill Davies be recommended to Council in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 at its meeting on 9 December 2020.

The Council considered the recommendations from the Regulatory and General Purposes Committee held on 18 November 2020 (minute 8 refers) in relation to the posthumous conferment of the title of Honorary Alderman on former Councillor Bill Davies, in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Civic Mayor informed the Council that arrangements would be made to enable the Mayor to present the Honorary Alderman badge to former Councillor Davies’ family at a time when it was convenient and safe to do so.

The Civic Mayor stated that Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 provided that the title of Honorary Alderman might be conferred by the Council on persons who have, in its opinion, rendered eminent service as past Members of the Council, (or a predecessor Council), but who were no longer Councillors. The title was to be conferred by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the Members voting thereon at a meeting of the Council specially convened for the purpose.

It was formally moved by Councillor Moira McLaughlin and seconded by Councillor Andrew Hodson that the Council be recommended to posthumously confer the title of Honorary Alderman on former Councillor Bill Davies in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.

In moving the motion Councillor McLaughlin spoke warmly of her former ward colleague who had given 34 years’ service as a councillor in Rock Ferry, and of the high regard and respect in which he was held both by his fellow councillors and by his constituents.

Councillor Andrew Hodson in seconding the motion also spoke warmly of the 27 years he had worked with former Councillor Bill Davies particularly on the Licensing Committees and panels.

Following speeches from a number of Members, who concurred with all the sentiments expressed and shared their own fond memories of the times working with former Councillor Bill Davies, the motion was put to the Council and it was –

Resolved (unanimously) - That the title of Honorary Alderman be posthumously conferred on former Councillor Bill Davies in accordance with Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.