Torfaen councillors have awarded the Freedom of the Borough to the Royal British Legion.

A report was presented to councillors before they voted unanimously to support the award.

Councillor Richard Clark said: “The Freedom of the Borough is the highest honour that this council can award any individual or any organisation. It is the 100th anniversary of the Royal British Legion and I know many members are involved, if not members of the Royal British Legion, and will be aware that it’s not just the Poppy Appeal and November 11 they deal with. They are a lifeline to our armed forces community, both serving soldiers, reservists and veterans covering many aspects of life for those individuals and the wider services community.”

In his report Alan Vernon-Jones, the council’s Armed Forces Policy Officer, said: “The tradition of Boroughs conferring the Freedom goes back to ancient times when the Royal Charter Boroughs were almost, if not entirely, self-governing. Originally, such conferment conveyed special privileges of various kinds upon the recipient that could involve the right to vote, property and local taxation benefits.

“Over the years, and especially since the passing of the Reform Act 1983 and the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, successive Acts of Parliament have sought amongst other things severely to curtail the extent of the privileges so that, today, the conferment is purely honorary.

“Today’s Freemen have no special rights. However, the tradition is maintained as a means whereby public recognition may be given to the recipients as an expression of the high esteem in which, they are held by the Council and people of the Borough. Torfaen County Borough Council has awarded “Freedom of the Borough” on three occasions over the course of the last 40 years.”

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