Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill [HL]

I have no doubt whatever that the noble Lord, Lord Graham, was there. The right to create honorary freemen was ended when the Local Government Act 1972, which came into force in 1974, was passed. Until 1974, all but one of the Cinque port towns were municipal boroughs, which had the ancient right to confer the freedom of their towns on distinguished national figures and those who had given a lifetime of voluntary service to their communities. Many, including 12 of the Cinque Ports, were too small to become local government districts in their own right. The majority became what were called ““successor parishes””, which exercised the rights to be called town councils and for their chairmen to be known as ““town mayors””. Some of the larger towns did not meet the Government’s criteria to become successor parishes and from 1974 they were represented by ““charter trustees””, as they were called. A number of these later became town councils, leaving only Margate and Ramsgate represented by charter trustees. In the case of the 12 Cinque Ports which were reduced to the status of town councils or charter trustees, the legislation which gave effect to the 1974 reorganisation recognised their long service to the nation by making express provision for the successor town councils and charter trustees to continue to exercise functions as members of the Confederation of the Cinque Ports. However, the 1972 Act stripped all former boroughs of the right to confer the freedom of their towns. It was replaced by a new statutory power only for those district councils with the status of cities, boroughs or royal boroughs to confer the honorary freedom of their areas upon, "““persons of distinction and persons who have rendered eminent services””" to their communities. The Confederation of the Cinque Ports, representing all 14 Cinque port towns, has been pressing the Government to rectify this anomaly and injustice—which is what it is—for several years. The Government have expressed sympathy for this aim and have indicated that if a suitable legislative opportunity arose it would bear those representations in mind. Over the past two years I have pressed these aims, notably in the proceedings on the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, now an Act, but the Government, while remaining sympathetic, did not feel it possible to accept that that Bill was an appropriate vehicle. This Bill provides an appropriate vehicle, with the amendment of the noble Lord, Lord Graham. My noble and gallant friend Lord Boyce, the Lord Warden and Admiral of the Cinque Ports, is detained elsewhere in the Palace on parliamentary business, otherwise he would be with us in this room. He is keen for this aim to succeed, as are other of your Lordships with Cinque Ports connections, including the noble Baroness, Lady Fookes, who has authorised me to say that she supports these amendments, and my noble friend Lord Imbert. I am grateful for the guidance and advice of the noble Baroness, Lady Andrews, her officials and, on earlier proceedings, the Public Bill Office. I am also very grateful to Mr Ian Russell, Registrar and Seneschal of the Cinque Ports, for his considerable help and briefings. I should indicate at this stage that I support the other two amendments of the noble Lord, Lord Graham, which come at the end of the Marshalled List. I say that now, as it will save me from having to burden the Committee with two more speeches in support. I hope that the amendment will be agreed to by the Committee.