Five new Kent Aldermen named

Five former Kent County Council Members - 3 Conservative, one Liberal Democrat and one Labour - have been given the title of Honorary Alderman in recognition of their service to the County Council and the people of Kent.

The title is a statutory Office of Dignity awarded under the Local Government Act 1972. It is made to former Members to recognise their long and distinguished service to the council and their contribution to Kent.

The appointments were approved at a special meeting of the County Council today (16 December) and it is only the second time that these awards have been made by the authority.

The recipients were:

• Dr S J Cox, Justice of the peace, who was elected to Kent County Council as the Conservative Member for Gillingham South Central in 1967 and left in 1998. He was Deputy Leader of the Council and Chairman of the Police Authority from 1973 until 1977. He was the Vice Chairman of the Council from 1977 until 1979 and Chairman from 1979 until 1981.
• Mr John Frisby, who was elected to the County Council in 1989 as a Liberal Democrat and served the residents of Maidstone Central and the people of Kent for sixteen years until he retired in 2005. He served on a number of regulatory committees including Audit, Superannuation and Standards Board.
• Mr R H B Neame, CBE, Deputy Lieutenant for Kent, who was elected to the County Council in 1965 as the Conservative Member for Faversham leaving in 1989. He served as the Leader from 1983 to 1984. A former High Sheriff in 2001/02 he is currently Chairman of Kent Ambassadors.
• Mr William Newman, Deputy Lieutenant for Kent, a retired teacher, who was elected to serve as the Labour Member for Dover Central Electoral Division at a By-election in 1995 and served until 2009. He served on a number of committees, including Governance and Audit, Education, Appeals Group and was Chairman of the Labour Group.
• Mr J A Spence, OBE, Deputy Lieutenant for Kent, who was elected to serve as the Conservative Member for Gillingham No 3 Electoral Division in 1973 and left in 1993. During his time with Kent County Council he held a number of Chairmanships including Police, Finance and Superannuation.

KCC Chairman Bill Hayton presented each with a certificate to commemorate their award and their names will be added to the wooden honours board in the council chamber.