Special honours for former councillors.

Richard Wyatt
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar, Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderman Brian Webber and Vice Chairman Cllr Alan Hale.
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar, Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderman Brian Webber and Vice Chair Cllr Alan Hale.

A special ceremony to honour Bath & North EastSomerset Councillors who have devoted years of their lives to public service has been held at the Guildhall.

Six former Councillors were awarded the title of Honorary Alderman and Alderwoman by the Chairman of Bath & North East Somerset Council, Cllr Ian Gilchrist.

L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderman Gerry Curran and Vice Chairman Cllr Alan Hale.
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderman Gerry Curran and Vice Chair Cllr Alan Hale.

The title of Honorary Alderman or Alderwoman is the highest award that can be given to a Councillor in recognition of exceptional service to the Council and the people it represents.

L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderman Dave Dixon and Vice Chairman Cllr Alan Hale.
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderman Dave Dixon and Vice Chair Cllr Alan Hale.

Those presented with awards were: David Dixon, Oldfield, 2002-2015; Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst MBE, Newbridge, 1996-2015; Brian Webber, Abbey, 2003-2015; Sharon Ball, Westmoreland,1996-2015, Bryan Chalker, Lambridge , 2003-2015, and Gerry Curran, Twerton, 1996-2015.

L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderwoman Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst and Vice Chairman Cllr Alan Hale.
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderwoman Loraine Morgan-Brinkhurst and Vice Chair Cllr Alan Hale.

The title of Honorary Alderman was also awarded posthumously to former Liberal Democrat Councillor David Bellotti. Cllr Bellotti represented Lyncombe ward between 2003 and 2015. He died in June. His widow Jo Bellotti was presented with a scroll and ceremonial pendant.

L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderwoman Jo Bellotti and her children and Vice Chairman Cllr Alan Hale.
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist;  Jo Bellotti and her children – who received a special posthumous award for her late husband David Bellotti, and Vice Chair Cllr Alan Hale.
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderwoman Sharon Ball and Vice Chairman Cllr Alan Hale.
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderwoman Sharon Ball and Vice Chair Cllr Alan Hale.

Cllr Gilchrist said: “All those awarded the title of Honorary Aldermen and Women have spent many years working to improve the lives of those who live in their wards.

We thank them and congratulate them for their dedicated service.”

L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderman Bryan Chalker and Vice Chairman Cllr Alan Hale.
L to R Chief Executive Jo Farrar; Council Chair. Cllr Ian Gilchrist; Hon Alderman Bryan Chalker and Vice Chair Cllr Alan Hale.

Following the presentation of scrolls and ceremonial pendants, the Chairman of the Council hosted a reception for the recipients and their guests.

Published by Richard Wyatt

Freelance Journalist, broadcaster, columnist and local historian. Director of Bath Newseum. Married and lives in Bath. Interested in local history, architecture and visual display in museums and urban spaces.