Doomed council set to give out civic honours

Jan 19 2009 by Dave Black, The Journal

EIGHT long-serving councillors are set to be given a top civic honour by a Northumberland council which will be abolished in April.

Castle Morpeth Borough Council is planning to confer the prestigious title of Honorary Aldermen on its members for the final time before it disappears under the switch to unitary local government.

Those in line to become Aldermen at a ceremony next month are councillors John Beynon, Milburn Douglas, Frank Harrington, Peter Jackson, Kay Morris, Alan Sambrook, Glen Sanderson and Edward Trevelyan.

Between them they have clocked up more than 150 years of service on the council, with Coun Trevelyan leading the way on 30 years.

Alderman status has previously only been conferred on former members of the council, but new Government rules say that any authority which is being dissolved under reorganisation plans can bestow the honour on serving members.

On Thursday Castle Morpeth’s executive board is expected to agree to offer the honour to the eight councillors, who would become Aldermen at an extraordinary meeting of the council on February 26.