Agenda item

Conferment of the title of Honorary Alderman

Minutes:

  Councillor C Jones declared a personal interest in this matter (minute 3 refers).

 

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/Alderwoman be conferred on former Councillors Adrian Jones, Les Rowlands and Moira McLaughlin.

 

The Civic and Electoral Services Manager reported that former Councillor Adrian Jones had been a Member of the Council from May 1995 representing Seacombe Ward as Labour Party Member until May 2022.  Adrian Jones had served as Mayor of Wirral for the Municipal Year 2008/09.  Adrian Jones had also been a Cabinet Member for Resources, Finance, Assets and Technology during his service to Wirral Council.

 

It was reported that former Councillor Moira McLaughlin had been a Member of the Council from May 1996, representing Rock Ferry Ward (formerly Tranmere) as Labour Councillor until October 2018.  Moira McLaughlin had then resigned from the Labour Party and served the remainder of her term as an Independent until May 2022.  Moira McLaughlin had served as Mayoress of Wirral for the Municipal Year 2011/12 and had also served as Cabinet Member for Adult Health and Social Care.

 

It was further reported that former Councillor Les Rowlands had been a Member of the Council from May 1998, representing Heswall Ward as Conservative Party Member until May 2022.  Les Rowlands had served as Mayor of Wirral for the Municipal Year 2015/16.

 

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 Adrian Jones, Les Rowlands and Moira McLaughlin were eligible to have the title of Honorary Alderman/Alderwoman conferred upon them.

 

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 Alderwomen of this Council had previously been awarded a suitable badge at a special ceremony.  Currently, former Councillors Adrian Jones, Les Rowlands and Moira McLaughlin were the only former Councillors eligible to be appointed as an Honorary Alderman/Alderwoman based on the Council’s criteria.

 

Members were further informed that the intention would be to present former Councillors Adrian Jones, Moira McLaughlin and Les Rowlands with a badge of office, the total cost of which would be approximately £2070 and there would also be the small cost of inscribing their names on the Roll of Honour Board which could be met from existing budgets.

 

Resolved That the conferment of the title of Honorary Alderman/Alderwoman on former Councillors Adrian Jones, Moira McLaughlin and Les Rowlands be recommended to Council in accordance with Section 249(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.

 

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