Agenda item

To consider the report of the meeting held on 20^th July, 2021.

Consideration was given to the report of the meeting held on 20^th July, 2021.

The Leader of the Labour Group proposed that the report and the recommendations contained therein be endorsed.

A Member proposed that the application to bestow the Freedom of the Borough on the Royal British Legion be acceded to.  This organisation had supported an army of volunteers for over 100 years and had taken care of the both former and serving armed forces personnel. This proposal was seconded.

Other Members commented as follows in relation to bestowing the Freedom of the Borough on the former Councillors Malcom Dally and Brian Scully:

-      Concern was expressed regarding bestowing Freedom of the Borough on former Councillors and that it was inappropriate to reward Councillors for the role that they were paid a salary to undertake because this would send the wrong message out to staff and residents and could be detrimental for staff morale.

-      Councillors were remunerated for carrying out their roles and the former Councillors long service could be commemorated instead with a certificate/award.

-      These senior former Councillors had not been remunerated during the time they had undertaken the role and this in itself was not much of an argument when the Freedom was bestowed recently on a professional sports person, he had been recognised for his achievements in sport and not for being paid.  The Member concluded by supporting the recommendations of the Working Group.

-      In previous years, the Freedom of the Borough had been bestowed on a former Councillor for his long service and also a former officer of the authority, therefore a precedent had already been set.

-      A Member said he wished to place on record his appreciation to the former Councillors for their long service to the County Borough – over 40 years of service was to be applauded but his view was to bestow the Freedom of the Borough was a step too far.  The role of a Councillor was a paid position and this was reward enough.  He proposed that the applications to bestow the Freedom of the Borough on former Councillors Scully and Dally be not acceded to.

-      These former Councillors had served the County Borough well for years had been stalwarts and had worked hard during their time in office and, therefore, proposed that the Working Group recommendations be endorsed.

-      A Member said she would like to place on record that she did not know or have knowledge of either to the two former Councillors but had listened to the comments made.  She said their length of service was to be highly commended but pointed out that the Freedom of the Borough was the highest accolade that the authority could bestow and did not agree with the principle of bestowing Freedom of the Borough on former Councillors.

-      Freedom of the Borough had been bestowed on former Councillor Rex Herbert because he had served continuously for 52 years and had been the longest serving Councillor in Wales and the U.K. at that time.  He had also served as Mayor on two occasions.  However, times had changed and the reputation of Councillors was perceived differently and the rewarding of Councillors for their service would not be forgiven by the public.

-      The Leader of the Labour Group said that these nominations were submitted in good faith and this debate was embarrassing because it was within the public domain.  The fact that Freedom of the Borough had been bestowed on former Councillor Rex Herbert had set a precedent as he was a serving Councillor who had also received payment to undertake the role, therefore, there was no differential.

In reply to a question regarding conferring the Freedom of the Borough on the Royal British Legion, the Head of Legal and Corporate Compliance advised that this had been conferred previously to another organisation and the honour would be conferred on the corporate body and one of their representatives would accept the honour on behalf of the organisation.

In reply to a further question, the Head of Legal and Corporate Compliance advised that the Working Group had only made a recommendation to Council, therefore, no decision had legally been taken at this point, it was a matter for Council to determine.

Councillor Millard left the meeting at this juncture.

Following a lengthy debate,

It was unanimously,

RESOLVED that the application to bestow the Freedom of the Borough on the Royal British Legion be acceded to.

It was proposed and seconded that a recorded vote be taken in respect of bestowing the Freedom of the Borough on former Councillors Brian Scully and Malcolm Dally:

In Favour of Bestowing the Freedom of the Borough on former Councillors Brian Scully and Malcolm Dally – Councillors P. Baldwin, D. Bevan, M. Cross, P Edwards, L. Elias, K. Hayden, H. McCarthy, K. Pritchard, T. Sharrem, T. Smith, S. Thomas, H. Trollope, D. Wilkshire, B. Willis, L. Winnett

Against Bestowing the Freedom of the Borough on former Councillors Brian Scully and Malcolm Dally – Councillors J. Collins, M. Cook, N. Daniels, D. Davies, G. A. Davies, G. L. Davies, M. Day, D. Hancock, S. Healy, J. Hill, J. Holt, J. Mason, C. Meredith, M. Moore, L. Parsons, G. Paulsen, K. Rowson, B. Summers, G. Thomas, J. Wilkins

Abstention – Councillor M. Holland

FURTHER RESOLVED, subject to the foregoing, that the applications to bestow the Freedom of the Borough on former Councillors Brian Scully and Malcolm Dally be not acceded to.