Whitby Town Council will proceed with plans to award RAF Fylingdales staff and personnel the Honorary Freedom of the Town of Whitby, despite objections from some members.
The proposal was first aired in November last year and re-visited by the town council at an extra-ordinary meeting on Tuesday night.
The town council says granting the honour would be “an expression of the friendship, mutual respect, and bond between the town of Whitby and RAF Fylingdales”.
However, the move was questioned by some councillors.
Coun Amanda Smith, who represents the town’s Stakesby ward, said: “The honorary freedom is the highest honour that may be conferred. Surely this honour should be awarded infrequently and on merit. Does the council believe RAF Fylingdales has contributed more to this town than the brave men and women who make up the lifeboat and coastguard?
“I am not denying they have contributed to space command and world-wide security, and they deserve our thanks for that, but the RNLI and Coastguard provide a totally voluntary service for those in danger. They are the people who deserve our highest appreciation and gratitude for distinguished service.”
Coun Smith referred to the civic ceremony in July when the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) were also given the the right to march through the town with colours flying, bands playing, drums beating, and bayonets fixed which they did followed by a reception for dignitaries in Pannett Park.
She added: “The repeated awarding of the Freedom of the Town degrades its value. It is an award to be given sparingly to people who truly make a difference to Whitby. I will not be voting for this award.”
Coun Steve Smith, for Abbey ward, had also asked if the Freedom applied to the American work-force based at RAF Fylingdales, Serco staff who provide maintenance and support to the base and “everybody who works there”.
Coun Sandra Turner, the Mayor of Whitby, who chaired the meeting said it did.
She added both REME and RAF Fylingdales had been recommended for the Freedom honour at previous meetings and the town council would debate proposals for other organisations.
Coun Turner said: “The RNLI and Coastguard do deserve an award and anyone can put them forward. They have not been put forward and if they are, this council will consider it in the way it has this award for RAF Fylingdales.”
A recorded vote was requested with Councillors Jacqui Layman, Chris Riddolls, Amanda Smith and Steve Smith voting against RAF Fylingdales being awarded Honorary Freedom of the town of Whitby. With 12 councillors in favour and four against, the proposal was voted through.
Whitby Town Council’s regular monthly meeting followed the extra-ordinary meeting, where it was proposed to convert a cubicle in the male and female toilets at Abbey Headland, New Quay Road, Pier Road, the Market Place and West Cliff toilets into stoma friendly toilets.
The proposal was made by Coun Layman who told the meeting she has had a stoma since she was 30. She requested the town council convert the cubicles by installing hooks for clothes and bags, a table to lay out supplies, a mirror and a bin to dispose of old bags. It would cost £250 per cubicle, she had calculated, and £2,500 in total.
She told the meeting: “I have learned to live with it and the looks when you use a disabled toilet with no obvious disability. People get stomas for all sorts of different reasons and it affects them in different ways. This is not for my benefit but for people who have not learned to live with it.”
A debate followed with several councillors saying they didn’t think a normal cubicle could accommodate the equipment needed and it would be better to make alterations to the current disabled toilets. The cost was also questioned in light of the council’s contract with Danfo for maintaining the town’s public toilets ending in nine months time.
Coun Jane McLaren said: “We need this provision but we are nine months from the end of the contact and £250 doesn’t sound much, but it might get uplifted next year.
“I suggest this goes back to the Finance and General Purposes Committee to include in the new contract provisions for next year.”
Coun Turner said the decision couldn’t be made on the night and needed to go through the set council procedures.
She added: “We should be looking at additional provision, it is a very sensitive subject. We are nine months from the end of the contract and we are holders of the public purse. We know the toilets need major works, whether that is in-house or Danfo. We have a duty to watch the public purse and provide the best facilities.”
The issue was referred back to the Finance and General Purposes Committee before a decision is made.
At the meeting, Whitby Town Council also voted unanimously that an officer from North Yorkshire Council be invited to a future meeting to discuss cemetery provision in Whitby.
The issue has been on-going for several months with playing fields at Larpool Lane being suggested as the site for a new cemetery in town. Many residents have suggested, however, the land behind Love Lane, which has been muted in separate plans for housing development, would be more suitable.
