Agenda and minutes

In accordance with Standing Order 4 (1) (c) we requisition that an Extraordinary Meeting of the City Council be held to consider the following Notice of Motion:

(i)       That the Council confer the title of Honorary Alderman on:

(a)           Mr Barrie Taylor who was first elected as a Westminster City Councillor on 8 May 1986 and who retired in May 2018 served as a Councillor in total for 28 years.  He represented the Queen’s Park ward from 1986 except for the period from 1990 to 1994.  Mr Taylor served on many Committees but mainly in the area of Social Services, where his many years experience working with Community Health Councils came to the fore.

(b)           Mrs Barbara Grahame served as a member for the Church Street ward from May 1994 until May 2018, a total of 24 years service.  Mrs Grahame served for the most part on Committees relating to Education, a subject for which she was deeply passionate.

(c)            Mrs Jan Prendergast served as a member for the Maida Vale ward from May 1994 until May 2018, a total of 24 years.  She was passionate about services for the young and elderly.  Mrs Prendergast served as Lord Mayor in 2003-2004.

          Over the years they have contributed so much to the work of the Council through their caring personality, wisdom, knowledge and vast experience between them undertaking the various roles of Members of numerous committees.  They have served the Council and people of Westminster and in particular their constituents with enormous dedication and the Council is asked to agree that they each be honoured by the conferring of the title of Honorary Alderman.

(ii)      That the Council instruct the Chief Executive to make the necessary arrangements for the preparation and presentation of an address to the Honorary Alderman and authorise that the minor necessary expenditure be met from existing budgets.

Signed by Councillors:  Nickie Aiken, David Harvey, Adam Hug, Patricia McAllister,                 Guthrie McKie and Tim Mitchell

Note by the Director of Law:

(i)       The above Motion must be adopted by not less than two thirds of the Members voting.

(ii)      The Local Government Act 1972 empowers the City Council “by a resolution passed by not less than two thirds of the Members voting thereon at a meeting of the Council specifically convened for the purpose with notice of the object to confer the title of Honorary Alderman 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 Councillor of the Council”.

(iii)      The Act provides that an Honorary Alderman “may attend and take part in such civic ceremonies as the Council may from time to time decide”.  An Honorary Alderman does not have any statutory rights, as such, to attend Council or Committee meetings.

1.1           Motion moved by Councillor Nickie Aiken and seconded by Councillor Adam Hug that the Council confer the title of Honorary Alderman on Mr Barrie Taylor, Mrs Barbara Grahame and Mrs Jan Prendergast.

1.2           Motion put and on a show of hands declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED: 

(i)       That the Council confer the title of Honorary Alderman on:

(a)           Mr Barrie Taylor who was first elected as a Westminster City Councillor on 8 May 1986 and who retired in May 2018 served as a Councillor in total for 28 years.  He represented the Queen’s Park ward from 1986 except for the period from 1990 to 1994.  Mr Taylor served on many Committees but mainly in the area of Social Services, where his many years experience working with Community Health Councils came to the fore.

(b)           Mrs Barbara Grahame served as a member for the Church Street ward from May 1994 until May 2018, a total of 24 years service.  Mrs Grahame served for the most part on Committees relating to Education, a subject for which she was deeply passionate.

(c)            Mrs Jan Prendergast served as a member for the Maida Vale ward from May 1994 until May 2018, a total of 24 years.  She was passionate about services for the young and elderly.  Mrs Prendergast served as Lord Mayor in 2003-2004.

            Over the years they have contributed so much to the work of the Council through their caring personality, wisdom, knowledge and vast experience between them undertaking the various roles of Members of numerous committees.  They have served the Council and people of Westminster and in particular their constituents with enormous dedication and the Council is asked to agree that they each be honoured by the conferring of the title of Honorary Alderman.

(ii)      That the Council instruct the Chief Executive to make the necessary arrangements for the preparation and presentation of an address to the Honorary Alderman and authorise that the minor necessary expenditure be met from existing budgets.