Plans to change nomination criteria for the Freedom of Exeter

The Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary.

Those who have been awarded the Freedom of the City include Michael Caines, Tony Rowe, Jo Pavey and Liam Tancock. Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, has previously turned down the honour.

Exeter City Council’s executive are being recommended next week to approve the establishment of a Freedom of the City Assessment Panel. 

If agreed, it would mean that only written nominations on the council’s approved application form will be accepted for consideration by the panel and that no other method be accepted for the submission of nominations for Freedom of the City.

John Street, Corporate Manager, Democratic & Civic Support, in his report, says: “This report seeks approval to introduce a more rigid assessment process for the consideration of any nominations made for Freedom of the City.”

“Following the Council’s recent consideration of a number of nominations for Freedom of the City, it is suggested that a more transparent approach to the consideration of these nominations, before submission to full Council, be established. Following the Council’s consideration, and ultimate rejection, of the nomination of Freedom of the City for the emergency services, which was received via a Notice of Motion, it is considered appropriate for there to be only one way in which such nominations should be received.”

The report says that there have been some previous nominations for the Freedom of the City that were rejected at the initial stage, but that the unsuccessful proposer used a different Council methodology, via a Notice of Motion to full Council, to put forward their nomination.