Local Government Act 1972

249 Honorary aldermen and freemen. E+W

(1) A principal council may, 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, confer the title of honorary aldermen 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 [F1 members] of the council.

(2) No honorary alderman shall, while serving as a [F2 member] of the council, be entitled to be addressed as alderman or to attend or take part in any civic ceremonies of the council as an alderman.

(3) Services rendered to the council of an existing county, county borough, borough or urban or rural district the area of which becomes wholly or partly included in a new county or district shall be treated for the purposes of subsection (1) above as services rendered to the council of the new county or district, as the case may be.

(4) An honorary alderman of a principal council may attend and take part in such civic ceremonies as the council may from time to time decide, but shall not, as such, have the right—

(a) to attend meetings of the council or a committee of the council (including a joint committee upon which they are represented); or

(b) to receive any such allowances or other payments as are payable under sections 173 to 176 above.

(5) The council of a London borough or a district having the status of a city, borough or royal borough [F3 or any parish or community having by grant under the royal perogative the status of city and any parish or community entitled by such grant to be called and styled a royal town] may, 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, admit to be honorary freemen of the city, borough or royal borough [F3 or parish or community as aforesaid,] persons of distinction and persons who have, in the opinion of the council, rendered eminent services to the city, borough or royal borough [F3 or parish or community as aforesaid,], but the admission of a person to be an honorary freeman shall not confer on him any such rights as are referred to in section 248(4) above.

(6) The council of a London borough or a district which has the status of a city, borough or royal borough [F4 or parish or community as aforesaid] may spend such reasonable sum as they think fit for the purpose of presenting an address or a casket containing an address to a person upon whom they have conferred the title of honorary alderman or admitted to be an honorary freeman of the city, borough or royal borough [F4 or parish or community as aforesaid].

[F5 (7) A principal council in Wales may, by such a resolution as is required by subsection (5) above, admit to be honorary freemen of the county or county borough persons of distinction and persons who have, in the opinion of the council, rendered eminent services to the county or county borough.

(8) The admission of a person to be an honorary freeman under subsection (7) above shall not confer on him any such rights as are referred to in section 248(4) above.

(9) A principal council in Wales shall, in relation to any person on whom they have conferred the title of honorary alderman or whom they have admitted to be an honorary freeman, have the same powers as are conferred by subsection (6) above.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Word in s. 249(1) substituted (30.12.2007) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 74, 245, Sch. 3 para. 9(2)

F2 Word in s. 249(2) substituted (30.12.2007) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 74, 245, Sch. 3 para. 9(3)

F3 Words inserted by Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (c. 65, SIF 81:1), s. 180

F4 Words inserted by Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (c. 65, SIF 81:1), s. 180

F5 S. 249(7)-(9) inserted (3.4.1995) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(5), Sch. 15 para. 55 (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1995/852, art. 9(1), Sch. 5

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 249 modified (3.4.1995) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(7), Sch. 17 para. 22(2) (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 para. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1995/852, art. 9(1), Sch. 5

S. 249 extended (11.3.1996) by S.I. 1996/330, arts. 1(2), 6(1)

S. 249: functions of local authority not to be responsibility of an executive of the authority (E.) (16.11.2000) by virtue of S.I. 2000/2853, reg. 2(1), Sch. 1

C2 S. 249(1) applied (with modifications)(11.3.1996) by S.I. 1996/330, arts. 1(2), 6(2)

C3 S. 249(1) modified (28.11.2008) by The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Transitional Arrangements) (No.2) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/2867), reg. 32 (with reg. 1)

C4 S. 249(2)(4) modified (11.3.1996) by S.I. 1996/330, arts. 1(2), 6(3)

C5 S. 249(2)(4) modified (28.11.2008) by The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Transitional Arrangements) (No.2) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/2867), reg. 32 (with reg. 1)