Issue - meetings

The Chairman of the Member Constitution Review Group presented the Protocol for the Appointment of Honorary Alderman. He said the opinion of the Review Group was that the current five term qualifying term for consideration of the title was too long and the Group have suggested reducing the term limit to two.

Councillor Williamson proposed that the recommendations in the report be supported. Councillor Deering seconded the proposal.

Councillor Jones said he was not comfortable that a two term period was sufficient to warrant Alderman status although he felt that the current five terms was too long. He proposed that the term limit be increased to three full terms.

Councillor Wyllie seconded the amendment.

Councillor Snowdon said that long service by itself was not a necessary condition. He said that when the term limit was originally set, Members terms were three years not four.

Councillor Crofton and Redfern felt three terms was more appropriate.

Councillor Haysey sought clarification about whether the three terms would be consecutive. She recognised that the length of time did not equate to quality of service but that issues in rural wards did not compare to issues in urban wards.

Councillor Kemp thought that the bar for Honorary Alderman status should be set high and length of service was not necessarily equal to quality of service. He thought that a Member could do something exceptional in two terms which should be recognised. He said that Members were democratically elected and the electorate could choose not to re-elect a councillor.

Councillor Fernando echoed comments made by his colleagues. He thought that three terms would make more sense but also highlighted that the Honorary Alderman title needed a two-third majority of the council to be appointed.

Councillor Kaye felt the criteria should be qualitative not quantitative.

Councillor Jones clarified that he was only proposing an amendment to criteria (C) under paragraph 3 of the protocol. He said criteria (C) should read “Has rendered a minimum of twelve years’ service/three consecutive full terms of office as a Member of East Hertfordshire District Council”.

The motion to support the amendment having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – That the qualifying term limit for nomination to be an Honorary Alderman be three consecutive terms.

The motion to support the recommendation having been proposed and seconded was put to the meeting and upon a vote being taken, was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – That the Protocol for the Appointment of Honorary Alderman be approved.