Council Minutes

Date:
Wednesday, 8th July, 2009
Time:
6.45pm
Place:
Council Chamber, Town Hall, High Street, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1AU
 
Please note: all Minutes are subject to approval at the next Meeting

Attendance Details

Present:
The Worshipful the Mayor (Cllr Paul Kirton), Cllr Hilary Aggio, Cllr Mrs Lynne Apedaile, Cllr Paul Baker, Cllr Jim Beall, Cllr Mrs Jennie Beaumont, Cllr Phillip Broughton, Cllr Mrs Ann Cains, Cllr Dick Cains, Cllr Julia Cherrett, Cllr Aidan Cockerill, Cllr David Coleman, Cllr Robert Cook, Cllr Mrs Eileen Craggs, Cllr Alex Cunningham, Cllr Ian Dalgarno, Cllr Ken Dixon, Cllr Jackie Earl, Cllr Mick Eddy, Cllr Kevin Faulks, Cllr John Fletcher, Cllr Mrs Suzanne Fletcher, Cllr Maurice Frankland, Cllr John Gardner, Cllr Robert Gibson, Cllr David Harrington, Cllr Miss Barbara Inman, Cllr Mohammed Javed, Cllr Jean Kirby, Cllr Terry Laing, Cllr Miss Tina Large, Cllr Colin Leckonby, Cllr Ken Lupton, Cllr Mrs Ann McCoy, Cllr Steve Nelson, Cllr Mrs Liz Nesbitt, Cllr Mrs Jean O'Donnell, Cllr Maurice Perry, Cllr Mrs Maureen Rigg, Cllr Roy Rix, Cllr Andrew Sherris, Cllr Michael Smith, Cllr Mick Stoker, Cllr Steve Walmsley, Cllr Mrs Sylvia Walmsley, Cllr Mrs Mary Womphrey, Cllr Mick Womphrey, Cllr Bill Woodhead and Cllr Barry Woodhouse.
Officers:
D E Bond, P K Bell (LD); M Robinson (DNS); J Danks (R); R Kench (CESC).
In Attendance:
Mr E Chapman (Vice Chairman of the Standards Committee), S Boyd (Director of Tristar Homes Ltd), 4 Members of the Public.
Apologies for absence:
Cllr Andrew Larkin, Cllr Alan Lewis, Cllr Mrs Kath Nelson, Cllr Bill Noble, Cllr Ross Paterson, Cllr Fred Salt and Cllr Allison Trainer.
Item Description Decision
Public
C
77/09		 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
 There were no interests declared.
C
78/09		 PROPOSAL TO CONFER THE HONOUR OF THE FREEDOM OF THE BOROUGH TO THE YORKSHIRE REGIMENT
Preamble
RESOLVED that:-

1. The Yorkshire Regiment be offered the Freedom of Stockton on Tees.

2. Their name be placed on the Roll of Honorary Freeman of the Borough.

3. The Yorkshire Regiment be presented with a sealed and illuminated copy of the Resolution at an appropriate occasion.

4. The Yorkshire Regiment be requested to exercise the Freedom of the Town at an opportune date during their Regimental programme for 2009/10, with the suggestion that the Freedom be linked to an existing appropriate event if possible, for example Remembrance Sunday.
6.45 pm - 6.55 pm

Preamble

ItemPreamble
C
78/09		Consideration was given to a report on a proposal to offer to bestow the Freedom of the Borough to the Yorkshire Regiment.

The Worshipful the Mayor Councillor Paul Kirton had requested that the Yorkshire Regiment be offered the Freedom of the Town, under the terms of Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The Rifles recruited north of the River Tees and the Yorkshire Regiment recruited south of the River Tees (areas of Thornaby, Ingleby Barwick and Yarm).

Council confirmed at a special meeting on 21 January 2009 that the Freedom of the Borough of Stockton be conferred upon The Rifles following the merger of the Light Infantry, the Devon and Dorset Light Infantry, the Royal Gloucester, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry and the Royal Green Jackets.

The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th) was the descendent of these famous Yorkshire Infantry Regiments:-

• The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire (14th/15th Foot)
• The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment) (19th Foot)
• The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) (33rd/76th Foot)
• The East and West Riding Regiment.

The Yorkshire Regiment was one of the large infantry regiments of the British Army. The Regiment was the only line infantry or rifles unit to represent a single geographical county in the new infantry structure, serving as the county Regiment of Yorkshire covering the historical areas of: the East Riding of Yorkshire, North Riding of Yorkshire, West Riding of Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and the current county areas of: North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire. Though the districts to the east of Barnsley were part of the recruiting area of The Rifles any person who expressed a wish to serve in the Yorkshire Regiment could do so.

The initiative to offer the award must come from the Civic Authority and would normally be offered to a Regiment or Corps who had a long standing relationship, marked either by time, or by some historic link with the City, Royal Borough or Borough.

An initial response from the Regimental Secretary of the Yorkshire Regiment indicated that any such offer would need to be put before the Regimental Board. However, he had already consulted the Regimental Board on this issue and was able to report that the Yorkshire Regiment would be delighted to accept the Freedom of the Borough of Stockton, were they to be offered it.

Should it be agreed that the Freedom of the Borough of Stockton be conferred upon the Yorkshire Regiment, then consideration would need to be given as to whether they were requested to exercise the Freedom of the Town at an opportune date. It could be suggested to them that the Freedom be linked to an existing appropriate event if possible, for example Remembrance Sunday.

Section 249(5) of the Local Government Act 1972, allowed the Council of a district having the status of a city, borough or royal borough, 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, to admit to be honorary freeman of the city, borough or royal borough persons of distinction and persons who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered eminent services to the city, borough or royal borough.

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