Council’s medals idea challenged

Councillors on Hull Council’s civic committee think honorary aldermen should get the awards as a mark of their service.

The committee deputy chairman and former Lord Mayor, Councillor David Gemmell, said: “I think it is a good idea. Whatever the budget is, it is many hundreds of millions of pounds and it is peanuts I would have said.”

There is no money set aside for the badges, but deputy council leader Daren Hale said the money could come out of reserves, adding: “It’s a small amount in the great scheme of things. A lot of aldermen are from an era when the local council was effectively an unpaid post – they gave their services on the cheap for many years, compared to senior officers whose pay has increased exponentially.”

However, Andrew Allison, a member of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “I think giving out badges is rather out-dated. If there’s £2,500 sloshing around in the Guildhall, it surely could be put to better use.”

The move will be discussed by the civic committee next Wednesday. A report says the money could come from the Civic Services budget, but warns: “In doing so (it) might result in other potential items of expenditure not going ahead”. A senior officer will make the final decision.

In its recent budget, Labour reversed more than £1.6m of Lib Dem cuts, maintaining spending on areas including day centres, museums, and golf courses, but will still push ahead with savings of £55m. The opposition claimed Labour will create a £6m black hole in the council’s finances by next February.

Hull has more than 20 honorary aldermen.