Agenda and minutes

The Mayor reported that it was her immense pleasure to welcome everyone present to the Extra-Ordinary Council meeting, when Members of the Council would be requested to agree to the Freedom of the Borough being conferred on HMS Mersey which is the highest honour the Council can bestow on any service unit.

The Mayor indicated that the Council had a long and honourableclose association with the Royal Navy, going back to Captain Frederic John Walker and the Battle of the Atlantic and this could be seen in the many naval plaques, ensigns, the Great Chase Signal flags, and other Naval memorabilia in the Council Chamber.

The Council was affiliated with HMS Mersey in 2003 and it was very fitting in the year of the 80^th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic, that the Freedom of the Borough would be conferred on HMS Mersey at this meeting.

The Mayor reported that the Council was very honoured to have the Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside, Mr Mark Blundell, the High Sheriff of Merseyside, Mrs Lesley Martin-Wright, Peter Dowd MP, the Commanding Officer of HMS Mersey, Lieutenant Commander James Mitchell, and other representatives from HMS Mersey at the meeting.

Apologies were received from Councillors Bennett, Bradshaw, Brodie-Browne, Brough, Carlin, D’Albuquerque, Dodd, Evans, Fairclough, Grace, Halsall, Hardman, Hardy, Irving, Jones, John Joseph Kelly, Killen, Lloyd-Johnson, Lunn-Bates, McGinnity, McKee, McKinley, Murphy, Myers, Page, Prendergast, Richards, Robinson, Roche, Roscoe, Sathiy, Shaw, Anne Thompson, Veidman, Sir Ron Watson, Webster and Wilson.

The Council is requested to approve the following Motion:

That in accordance with Section 249 (5) of the Local Government Act 1972, this Council wishes to place on record its high appreciation of, and the debt of gratitude of the Borough to HMS Mersey and in the light of the long and honourable association between the Borough of Sefton and the Royal Navy, resolves that the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Sefton be conferred on HMS Mersey and that it be granted the right, privilege, honour and distinction of marching through the streets of the Borough on all ceremonial occasions with colours flying, bands playing, drums beating and bayonets fixed.

It was moved by Councillor Ian Maher, seconded by Councillor Byrom, supported by Councillors Riley and Sayers and, unanimously

RESOLVED:

That in accordance with Section 249 (5) of the Local Government Act 1972, this Council wishes to place on record its high appreciation of, and the debt of gratitude of the Borough to HMS Mersey and in the light of the long and honourable association between the Borough of Sefton and the Royal Navy, resolves that the Honorary Freedom of the Borough of Sefton be conferred on HMS Mersey and that it be granted the right, privilege, honour and distinction of marching through the streets of the Borough on all ceremonial occasions with colours flying, bands playing, drums beating and bayonets fixed.