Councillor Phil Davies introduced a report by the Managing Director for Delivery Services that informed that under the Local Government Act 1972, the Council had the authority to grant the title of Honorary Freeman or Freewoman of the Borough to persons of distinction who had rendered eminent Service to the Borough.

In April 1989, 96 football fans, including 9 from Wirral, travelled to Sheffield to watch a football match and never returned.

The Cabinet agreed that the tragic events at Hillsborough and the ongoing fight for justice for nearly 30 years demonstrated the need to recognise and never forget the 96 fans that had lost their lives. It was proposed to bestow the award of Freedom of the Borough (posthumously) on them.

This was a very significant step for the Council to take and very few people had been awarded this status.

Past recipients of this award were:

1993 LT. Commander Ian Fraser, VC

1996 Mr. Joseph Lynch, GC, BEM (GAL)

2005 Mr. Ray Holmes

2006 The Right Reverend David Urquhart

2006 Lord Chan of Oxton

2010 Mr. Stephen Maddox, OBE

2016 PC David Phillips

It was proposed that a scroll would be presented to a family representative of each of the 96 by the Mayor.

The Hillsborough Family Support Group had been consulted on a possible date for this meeting and it was proposed that the Council held an Extraordinary meeting for the purpose of bestowing this award (posthumously) on the 96 at 5pm on Friday, 15 September 2017 in the Council Chamber at Wallasey Town Hall.  It was also proposed that following this meeting, there would be a public event on the plateau at the Town Hall to dedicate a plaque and the gardens as the ‘Memorial Gardens to the 96’.  The evening would be concluded with a Civic reception for family representatives of the 96, when the scrolls and a commemorative gift would be presented to them.

The 96 were:

·  John Alfred Anderson (62)

·  Colin Mark Ashcroft (19)

·  James Gary Aspinall (18)

·  Kester Roger Marcus Ball (16)

·  Gerard Baron Snr (67)

·  Simon Bell (17)

·  Barry Sidney Bennett (26)

·  David John Benson (22)

·  David William Birtle (22)

·  Tony Bland (22)

·  Paul David Brady (21)

·  Andrew Mark Brookes (26)

·  Carl Brown (18)

·  David Steven Brown (25)

·  Henry Thomas Burke (47)

·  Peter Andrew Burkett (24)

·  Paul William Carlile (19)

·  Raymond Thomas Chapman (50)

·  Gary Christopher Church (19)

·  Joseph Clark (29)

·  Paul Clark (18)

·  Gary Collins (22)

·  Stephen Paul Copoc (20)

·  Tracey Elizabeth Cox (23)

·  James Philip Delaney (19)

·  Christopher Barry Devonside (18)

·  Christopher Edwards (29)

·  Vincent Michael Fitzsimmons (34)

·  Thomas Steven Fox (21)

·  Jon-Paul Gilhooley (10)

·  Barry Glover (27)

·  Ian Thomas Glover (20)

·  Derrick George Godwin (24)

·  Roy Harry Hamilton (34)

·  Philip Hammond (14)

·  Eric Hankin (33)

·  Gary Harrison (27)

·  Stephen Francis Harrison (31)

·  Peter Andrew Harrison (15)

·  David Hawley (39)

·  James Robert Hennessy (29)

·  Paul Anthony Hewitson (26)

·  Carl Darren Hewitt (17)

·  Nicholas Michael Hewitt (16)

·  Sarah Louise Hicks (19)

·  Victoria Jane Hicks (15)

·  Gordon Rodney Horn (20)

·  Arthur Horrocks (41)

·  Thomas Howard (39)

·  Thomas Anthony Howard (14)

·  Eric George Hughes (42)

·  Alan Johnston (29)

·  Christine Anne Jones (27)

·  Gary Philip Jones (18)

·  Richard Jones (25)

·  Nicholas Peter Joynes (27)

·  Anthony Peter Kelly (29)

·  Michael David Kelly (38)

·  Carl David Lewis (18)

·  David William Mather (19)

·  Brian Christopher Matthews (38)

·  Francis Joseph McAllister (27)

·  John McBrien (18)

·  Marian Hazel McCabe (21)

·  Joseph Daniel McCarthy (21)

·  Peter McDonnell (21)

·  Alan McGlone (28)

·  Keith McGrath (17)

·  Paul Brian Murray (14)

·  Lee Nicol (14)

·  Stephen Francis O'Neill (17)

·  Jonathon Owens (18)

·  William Roy Pemberton (23)

·  Carl William Rimmer (21)

·  David George Rimmer (38)

·  Graham John Roberts (24)

·  Steven Joseph Robinson (17)

·  Henry Charles Rogers (17)

·  Colin Andrew Hugh William Sefton (23)

·  Inger Shah (38)

·  Paula Ann Smith (26)

·  Adam Edward Spearritt (14)

·  Philip John Steele (15)

·  David Leonard Thomas (23)

·  Patrick John Thompson (35)

·  Peter Reuben Thompson (30)

·  Stuart Paul William Thompson (17)

·  Peter Francis Tootle (21)

·  Christopher James Traynor (26)

·  Martin Kevin Traynor (16)

·  Kevin Tyrrell (15)

·  Colin Wafer (19)

·  Ian David Whelan (19)

·  Martin Kenneth Wild (29)

·  Kevin Daniel Williams (15)

·  Graham John Wright (17)

Councillor Davies thanked the Managing Director for Delivery Services who had worked tirelessly with the families and Council officers to arrange the event and provide the opportunity for the Council to say thank you to and recognise the efforts of the families over many years as they campaigned to get truth, justice and accountability.

RESOLVED: That Cabinet recommends to the Council

(1)  in pursuance of the provisions of Section 249 (5) of the Local Government Act 1972 and in recognition of the tragic loss of life and continued fight for justice on their behalf, the 96 named above, be posthumously admitted as Honorary Freemen/Freewomen of this Borough at an Extraordinary Council Meeting to be held on Friday 15 September 2017;

(2)  Officers be requested to take all the necessary actions associated with (1) above and arrange for a public event and civic reception for family representatives of the 96 and some invited guests on the evening of 15 September 2017; and

(3)  funding to assist this Freedom of the Borough initiative be provided, up to a maximum of £60,000, from balances.