Agenda and minutes

Councillors Hobley and Stennett

Apologies were received from Councillor Coleman, Collins, Stennett and Hobley.

There were no declarations of interest.

These must be received no later than 12 noon on Tuesday 7 May 2019 and must relate directly to the business for which the meeting has been convened.

There were none.

The Mayor, Councillor Roger Whyborn to call upon Councillor Jordan to move the motion:

Max 5 mins

“That under, and in pursuance of the powers conferred upon the council by virtue of Section 249 Local Government Act, 1972, GCHQ be admitted Honorary Freedom of the Borough in recognition and appreciation of the eminent services rendered by it with great distinction to national security for a century.”

The Mayor will call upon Councillor Harman to second the motion. Max 3 mins

The Mayor will formally put the motion to the Council for approval.

The Leader of the Council introduced the item and gave the background to GCHQ prior to it moving to Cheltenham in 1951 where it was initially based on two sites, in Oakley and Behall. Nationally, GCHQ played a key role in security, terrorism, serious crime and cyber security. Locally, GCHQ represented the largest employer with many employees living in and around the town.

CBC had an ongoing relationship with GCHQ and was currently working with them particularly closely on developing the cyber innovation centre and the cyber park. It was particularly appropriate to award them the Freedom of the Borough in their 100^th year, a rare honour to award and there had been an overwhelmingly positive response that this honour should be bestowed.

The leader of the Conservative Group took the opportunity to thank the retiring Mayor and welcome the newly appointed Mayor and Deputy. He then said it was a great honour to second the motion to grant GCHQ the Freedom of the Borough. He recognised its massive contribution nationally and locally and deemed it appropriate to grant the award when cyber represented a new frontier and GCHQ had expressed its commitment to the town. He looked forward to the exciting plans for the cyber park going forward.

Councillor Parsons raised a point of clarification and in response Sarah Farooqi, One Legal, confirmed that the Freedom of the Borough was nowadays a ceremonial award and a grant of recognition, albeit historically the award had granted certain rights.

RESOLVED (unanimously) THAT

“That under, and in pursuance of the powers conferred upon the council by virtue of Section 249 Local Government Act, 1972, GCHQ be admitted Honorary Freedom of the Borough in recognition and appreciation of the eminent services rendered by it with great distinction to national security for a century.”

There was none.