Nomination Procedure for appointment of Honorary Alderman and Honorary Alderwoman

Background

1. In accordance with the provisions of Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council may confer the title of Honorary Alderman or Honorary Alderwoman on:

"Persons who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered eminent services to the Council as past members of that Council, but who are not then members of the Council."

2. The position of Honorary Alderman/Honorary Alderwoman is non-political.  There must be support for the nomination by not less than two-thirds of the Members voting at an Extraordinary Council meeting.

3.  Nominations for Honorary Aldermen or Honorary Alderwomen may be made by any serving Member of Preston City Council only by way of a letter or email to the Council's Chief Executive and only once a Member has retired from the Council. 

The letter or email must set out the reasons for the nomination being made.  Certain criteria must be met (see paragraph 7 below). 

4. Nominations for Honorary Alderman/Honorary Alderwoman may be submitted by any serving Member of the City Council within a five-year period of a Member's retirement from the Council.  No public nominations are accepted.

5. Upon receipt of a valid request, the Chief Executive will instruct the Director of Corporate Services to set up an Honours Task Group in consultation with the Monitoring Officer. 

6. The Honours Task Group shall consist of the Leader of each group, the current Mayor and Deputy Mayor and one past Mayor from each group, or a representative if a past Mayor is unavailable. The Chair of the Honours Task Group will be agreed by nomination at the meeting.

Qualification Criteria

7. The following criteria should be applied when considering nominations for an individual to be made an Honorary Alderman/Honorary Alderwoman:-

A former Member should have served a minimum of 15 years' service on the Council, which does not have to be consecutive.

8. No person who meets the above qualification criteria will automatically become an Honorary Alderman or Honorary Alderwoman.  A nomination must still be submitted for the Honours Task Group to consider the request.

Nomination and Enrolment

9. Each nomination considered by the Honours Task Group shall be made in consultation with the Council's Monitoring Officer. 

Upon determination of any nomination for Honorary Alderman/Honorary Alderwoman the Honours Task Group shall advise full Council of its recommendations. Thereafter, full Council will consider the recommendation and determine if an Extraordinary Council meeting(s) may be arranged to undertake a formal conferment ceremony.

10. The Monitoring Officer will then advise the Director of Corporate Services to convene an Extraordinary Council meeting which will be a civic ceremony for which robes and badges should be worn.

Rights of an Honorary Alderman/Honorary Alderwoman

11. An Honorary Alderman/Honorary Alderwoman shall be entitled to the following privileges:-

• To enjoy the courtesy of title of Honorary Alderman or Honorary Alderwoman and to be addressed as such;
• To be named as an Honorary Alderman/Honorary Alderwoman on the Council's website;
• To attend, as an observer, meetings of the Council for which a seat will be reserved;
• To attend civic and social events by invitation and to which Members of the Council are invited, and at the discretion of the Council;
• To walk in civic procession, as invited by the Council; and
• To wear a robe on civic occasions.

12. There is no entitlement to any allowances as an Honorary Alderman or Honorary Alderwoman.

13. Honorary Aldermen/Honorary Alderwomen shall not have the right to influence meetings of the Council or its Committees nor have any voting rights whatsoever.

Withdrawal of the Title

The title of Honorary Alderman/Honorary Alderwoman may be removed and privileges may be withdrawn at any time if the behaviour of an individual may affect the reputation of the Council.

The removal must be agreed by two thirds of the Council on the recommendation of the Monitoring Officer.  It is not necessary to convene an Extraordinary Council meeting for withdrawal of the title.