Five Chester people, including the chair of Chester Pride, are recommended as Honorary Freemen of the borough. Council would confer the honour on 10 December.

Five people recognised for their work in Chester’s community life are in line to become Honorary Freemen of Cheshire West and Chester.

They include the chair of Chester Pride, a blogger who promotes the city’s culture and raises money for charity, and three volunteers from Handbridge, Queen’s Park and Westminster Park.

A councillors’ working group considered five nominations on 2 November and backed all five. Its report goes to the Audit and Governance Committee on 17 November.

The five nominees

The report recommends the honour for:

  • Richard Trotter, for services to the cultural life of Chester as a social media influencer and blogger, and for charity fundraising
  • Warren Allmark, for his role as chair of Chester Pride and other support for the LGBT+ community
  • Jennifer Crew, for community work through the Westminster Park Residents Association
  • Julie Rowland, for community work through the Handbridge Community Association
  • Helen Speke, for community work in Handbridge and Queen’s Park, in particular her part in the Queen’s Park Suspension Bridge centenary celebrations

Each was nominated by a borough councillor and supported by two more. Each nomination also came with two letters of support.

How the honour is conferred

The law sets a high bar. Under the Local Government Act 1972, Honorary Freedom can go only to “persons of distinction” or people who have given “eminent service” to the borough. It needs a two-thirds majority of councillors voting at a meeting called for that purpose.

If the committee agrees, the council plans a short special meeting immediately before Full Council on 10 December. Afterwards there will be a reception at Chester Town Hall for the new and existing Honorary Freemen. Each new Freeman receives a scroll.

The report says the cost, mainly teas and coffees, will come from existing budgets. Women can choose the title Honorary Freewoman.

What it means for you

The Audit and Governance Committee meets at 6pm on 17 November in public, and its papers are online.

Nominations have to come from a borough councillor, on the council’s form, with two other councillors in support. If you know someone who deserves the honour, your ward councillor is the person to ask.