Causeway Coast & Glens Council to look at new criteria for Freedom of Borough honour
Causeway Coast and Glens Council has outlined new criteria for the conferring of future Freedom of the Borough awards.
Council has agreed on two recipients this year – Olympic rower Hannah Scott and the Northern Ireland Prison Service – and under the new criteria, which was presented at March’s Commemoration and Celebration Sub Committee, only one award will be conferred per year while organisations will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.
The new guidelines state that to be eligible a person or organisation must have demonstrated exceptional achievement or service to the community, brought distinction to the borough, given outstanding military service, demonstrated innovation, or evidenced exceptional charitable service to the borough.
An officer’s report noted that the freedom of the borough “should be used sparingly”.
“Accordingly, other than in exceptional circumstances, no more than one nominee will be taken forward annually and there is no obligation to approve any of the nominations.”