Ex-Mid Devon councillors become Honorary Aldermen

They served for a total of 87 years

Five former Mid Devon councillors, named as honorary aldermen earlier this year, have been presented with scrolls to recognise their years of service.

The position is a ceremonial honour that does not entitle holders to special privileges but means they can attend civic functions and council meetings, although aldermen cannot vote.

Current members of the council agreed in May to grant the titles to Eileen Andrews, Peter Hare-Scott, Brenda Hull, Frank Rosamond and Nick Way, with the quintet awarded their scrolls earlier this month.

Bestowing the honour, chairman Ray Radford said it gave him “great pleasure” to thank the new aldermen for their “dedication and hard work to Mid Devon District Council and to present these scrolls to them.”

He added: “There have only been 28 councillors to have received the title of honorary alderman since 1974!”

Combined, the former councillors served on Mid Devon for a total of 87 years, with vice-chairman Ron Dolley saying earlier in the year they had been “exemplary in their duty to the public.”

Mr Rosamond and Mrs Hull both served as chairman of the council, while Mr Hare-Scott was leader for over six years until November 2014.

Mrs Andrews was an independent councillor representing Cullompton South until February of this year, stepping down due to ill health at the age of 94. She was unable to attend the ceremony but was made an honorary alderman at an earlier presentation.

The award for Mr Way is his second alderman honour in a short space of time, after he was presented with the same title by Devon County Council last year. The Liberal Democrat served on Mid Devon for 24 years until 2019.