Part 1Democracy and involvement
Chapter 5Local freedoms and honorary titles
I129Honorary titles
1
Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) (honorary aldermen and freemen) is amended as follows.
2
In the heading, for “Honorary aldermen and freemen” substitute “
Honorary titles
”
.
3
In subsection (1)
(power of principal councils to confer title of honorary aldermen), after “honorary aldermen” insert “
or honorary alderwomen
”
.
4
In subsection (2)—
a
after “honorary alderman” insert “
or honorary alderwoman
”
;
b
after “as alderman” insert “
or alderwoman
”
;
c
after “as an alderman” insert “
or alderwoman
”
.
5
In subsection (4), after “honorary alderman” insert “
or honorary alderwoman
”
.
6
After that subsection insert—
4A
A principal council may spend such reasonable sum as they think fit for the purpose of presenting an address, or a casket containing an address, to a person on whom they have conferred the title of honorary alderman or honorary alderwoman.
7
For subsections (5) to (9) (honorary freemen) there is substituted—
5
Subject as follows, a relevant authority may admit to be honorary freemen or honorary freewomen of the place or area for which it is the authority—
a
persons of distinction, and
b
persons who have, in the opinion of the authority, rendered eminent services to that place or area.
6
In this section “relevant authority” means—
a
a principal council;
b
a parish or community council;
c
charter trustees in England constituted—
i
under section 246 of the Local Government Act 1972,
ii
by the Charter Trustees Regulations 1996 (SI 1996/263), or
iii
under Part 1 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.
7
The power in subsection (5) above is exercisable by resolution of the relevant authority.
8
A resolution under subsection (7) above must be passed—
a
at a meeting of the relevant authority which is specially convened for the purpose and where notice of the object of the meeting has been given; and
b
by not less than two-thirds of the members of the relevant authority (or, in the case of charter trustees, of the trustees) who vote on it.
9
A relevant authority may spend such reasonable sum as it thinks fit for the purpose of presenting an address or a casket containing an address to a person on whom the authority has conferred the title of honorary freeman or honorary freewoman under subsection (5) above.
10
The admission of a person as honorary freeman or honorary freewoman does not confer on that person any of the rights referred to in section 248(4) above.