Agenda and draft minutes

The meeting commenced on the rising of the Annual Council Meeting at approximately 8.05pm.

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Lance Parkinson, Miles Parkinson OBE and Ethan Rawcliffe.

There were no declarations of interest or dispensations submitted.

Report attached.

The Council considered a report of the Executive Director (Legal and Democratic Services) seeking approval to the appointment of new Aldermen of the Borough for 2026 in respect of the following individuals:

• Josh Allen;
• Bernard Dawson MBE;
• Joyce Plummer.

Members were reminded that, at the Special Council meeting held on 26^th March 2026, the Council had conferred honours on 10 new Freemen of the Borough and 3 new Aldermen for 2026.  The intention was to formally present their awards at the Council Mayor Making Meeting and ceremony due to be held on 20^th June 2026.

Subsequently, three new nominations had been received for awards in 2026 and it was envisaged that, if granted, these awards would be presented on the same occasion as above.

Aldermen Appointments

To qualify for appointment as an Alderman the proposed recipient must have rendered eminent services to the Council as a past member of the Council but must not currently be a member of the Council (section 249(1) Local Government Act 1972).

Additional guidance as to eligibility was provided in the Civic Protocol, including the following:

• 12 years’ service.
• Consideration would be given to members not having 12 years’ service but who had, during their years of office, held the title of Mayor, Mayoress, Consort, Leader of the Council or Leader of an Opposition group (providing the latter office had been held for three years or more).

The proposed recipients Josh Allen, Bernard Dawson MBE and Joyce Plummer all had lengthy and distinguished former service with the Council and/or were former Mayors or Mayoresses of the Borough.  As such, they were all considered to meet the eligibility criteria.

Voting Requirements

The legislation required that a principal council might, by a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the members voting thereon at a meeting of the council specially convened for the purpose with notice of the object, confer the honours as set out above.

The Mayor announced that the vote would be taken en bloc.  Councillors Munsif Dad and Zak Khan spoke in favour of the nominees.

Resolved                                 -      That in accordance with Section 249(1) of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council appoints the following as Aldermen: Josh Allen, Bernard Dawson MBE and Joyce Plummer with the formal presentation to be made at the Mayor Making Council on 20^th June 2026, or should that not prove possible due to the unavailability of the recipient, at some stage during the remainder of the Municipal Year 2026/27.

The Mayor thanked everyone for their attendance this evening and looked forward to welcoming all dignitaries and their guests to the Mayor Making event on 20^th June 2026.