HONORARY FREEDOM OF THE BOROUGH

Council is recommended to agree to present the person named below with a certificate conferring upon them the title of Honorary Freeman of the Borough affixed with the common seal of the Council.

The motion to be duly moved and seconded is:

“That, by virtue of the power vested in it by Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council does admit Ivor Heller as Freeman of the London Borough of Merton.

This honour is bestowed on Ivor Heller in recognition of the substantial contribution he made to the Borough including for his work for AFC Wimbledon and his continuing work within the community.”

Note by Chief Executive: Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a resolution conferring the title of Honorary Freeperson to be passed by not less than two thirds of the Members voting thereon.

The Mayor invited Councillor Alambritis to move and Councillor Stringer to second the motion.

Councillor Alambritis

Madam Mayor,

Ivor Heller played a fundamental role in the resurrection of AFC Wimbledon but also in the return to the club’s home at Plough Lane.

Furthermore, as a community figure Ivor developed the Club’s commercial and hospitality revenues through extensive relationship building in Merton over the past 20 years.

What others say about Ivor

Kris Stewart said “Everyone at Wimbledon owes Ivor a debt of gratitude. His passion kept alive the dream of getting back home to Merton.

Mick Buckley added: “Ivor is integral to the AFC Wimbledon story in so many ways. He has led from the front, combining relentless drive with his ability to tell our story and engage with Merton’s residents.

For my part I have had the pleasure of knowing Ivor for several years through many meetings. I could see first-hand the passion and dedication he has for the Club and the leading role he played in its reformation and his yearning to be in Merton.

 That passion and drive has helped provide the Club with vital commercial revenues throughout the years and has nurtured relationships with a large number of Merton’s businesses and Merton’s  stakeholders.

It has been the greatest honour of my 10 year leadership of Merton Council to have worked with Ivor and this amazing football club.

Ivor was focussed on one venue alone and that was to be back at Plough Lane and that came through loud and clear to me, to Cllrs Judge and Whelton and to our dedicated officers.

Another former leader who had a hand in making sure AFC Wimbledon are where they arte today is Tony Colman

Tony was PPS to Mo Mowlam then Northern Ireland Secretary of State in the late 1990’s during talks on the Good Friday agreement

Tony argued ohn the sidelines of those discussions to make sure Wimbledon FC did not get uprooted to either Belfast or Dublin. He won that case!

Years later, I had many meetings with Ivor and Erik Samuelson. Some starting first thing in the morning, not a pretty sight either of us!!!

Others took place last thing in the day after 6pm with Crown House empty of our superb staff and me and Ivor rattling in the building trying to get to grips with developers, financiers and architects…again not a pretty sight!!!!

Council leaders have many meetings, some better than others but meetings with Ivor were always for a purpose, for a decision, for a confirmation and all about getting the club back to Plough Lane.

The memories are many and mostly they are good ones.

 The odd tremble between me and Ivor was when I tried to explain the Section106 planning process to him!

But Ivor is not just about football.

Ivor has also been at the heart of community initiatives.

The Leyton Road Centre (formerly High Path) has been a massive part of his life and will continue to be so and it is a massive part of the council’s caring approach.

 St George’s Hospital Charity is such an important part of the community here in Merton too- putting on the first gala dinner and successive ones and as the auctioneer he raised over £600,000!!

Ivor also supported encouraged and shouted about and volunteered on the most amazing foodbank in the country…The Dons Local Action Group…an award winning football charity helping people through the covid pandemic and beyond and to this day when we have a cost of living crisis

Madam Mayor, the Freedom of Merton recognition has been bestowed upon many worthy recipients for centuries.

I am so pleased to be speaking on this fantastic recognition for Ivor and for AFC Wimbledon where he joins past recipients like a certain Dickie Guy.

New name on the honours board Madam Mayor if you please and that name is for Mr Ivor Heller!

Councillor Stringer:

Thank you Madame Mayor, yes I am seconding, and it’s a great honour to second.  And this is an absolutely huge honour that we are bestowing on Ivor Heller and it couldn’t be more richly deserved.  Madame Mayor, years and years of hard work went into creating AFC Wimbledon and turning it into what it is now and Ivor was absolutely central to this as we’ve just heard.  And even more hard work went into bringing the club physically back to SW19.  With support from some of my colleagues on these benches, particularly former leader, Cllr Andrew Judge, former chair of the Planning, Cllr Linda Kirby, Martin Whelton and of course the passionate support of another former leader, Cllr Stephen Alambritis.  Ivor’s work has been transformative.  Cllr Alambritis has talked about some of the footballing side, but as a local councillor for the ward that the Cherry Red Records Stadium sits in, I just wanted to thank Ivor for the benefits that it has brought to the wider community, it’s put Plough Lane back on the map.  The club has supported so many people through all of its charitable initiatives and most importantly it has created a wonderful community of people that love being a part of.  It has been really brilliant seeing local families discover AFC Wimbledon and become avid fans since the return to Plough Lane and it’s even more wonderful that the more longstanding fans who’ve seen it through thick and thin have been so welcoming of these new supporters.  I’m also really touched by Ivor’s commitment to adults with learning disabilities who use the Leyton Road Day Centre, the centre is just a stone’s throw from my house and was refurbished a few years ago and is a lovely place providing activities for a range of adults with different needs and Ivor’s commitment to supporting the work there is vey much appreciated.  Madame Mayor, what a great honour, but what a great man and I’m proud to second this proposal.

The Mayor then invited Councillors Hall and Kohler to speak to the motion.

Councillor Hall:

Thank You Madame Mayor. I am delighted to speak in favour of this. Ivor Heller is one of the co-founders of AFC Wimbledon as you have heard. As a life long supporter of Wimbledon Football Club, he was distraught, as most true fans were that their beloved club was due to be sold off and moved elsewhere.  Dublin was one of the places considered, but in the end it turned out to be Milton Keynes. The day after the FA made that fateful decision, allowing the club to be moved 50 miles away from its home, he and others got together to start a new Wimbledon Football Club from scratch and it would be a different club, a club run by fans for fans, and so AFC Wimbledon was born.  Its offices were originally in Ivor’s print business and trials took place on the Common’s extension in May 2002. Hundreds of people turned up to try out, such was the passion for the new club.  Ivor’s dream, along with many others, was to return the club to Wimbledon and some said it couldn’t be done. But here we are, in 2023, with that dream realised. Ivor’s been the club’s Commercial Director, he was responsible for helping the club raise money through sponsorship, through prudent running of bars, shops, tickets, season tickets.  He has a passion for the club which is hard to match.  He also places community at the centre of what the club does. There is much that could be said about the youth training, the charitable arm of the club, the Dons Local Action Group, there’s just not the time to list all the things that he has done.  Suffice to say, AFC Wimbledon is rooted in our community and is in many of our hearts.  I personally am delighted my name is up there on the wall at the ground, he is held in very high regard from all who have worked with him.  He worked so closely with Eric Samuelson, his right hand man from the early days at Kingsmeadow and now back at Plough Lane. Twenty years of effort and vision for a fantastic result and he is about to be made the life Vice President of the club at the end of this season. As a person he is hardworking, tenacious and full of integrity. He engages with people and is so proud of the club that he helped to form. He is someone that dared to dream and his saw his dream realised. He has achieved so much and to receive the Freedom of the Borough is so fitting for someone who has done so much  for AFC and for Merton, come on you Dons!

Councillor Kohler:

Thank you Madame Mayor, I will be speaking briefly in respect of all five of tonight’s worthy recipients.  On behalf of my group I would like to congratulate all those recognised today, despite the modern tendency to deride it, public service both in the political and wider civic society is critical to our lives and our freedoms, our communities and our country, our wellbeing and our environment.  I am consequently pleased tonight for a moment to reflect upon that before the pantomime of Full Council begins, ably refereed by you, Madame Mayor.  Cllr Hall gave a fitting tribute to Ivor Heller, and I would only add that my political career not withstanding and as a dyed in the wool Crystal Palace fan, I just wish my club would take a few lessons from him when it comes to remembering that supporters and not the moneymen are the beating heart of every club.  Turning to the three politicians to be made Freemen, they were of course in office long before my, and in fact all my group’s, time in this chamber.  It is clear that they are an impressive triumvirate.  The late Vincent Talbot was the first Leader of Merton Council.  Harry Cowd was leader for an impressive 8 years, nearly as long as… the name escapes me!  Both Vincent and Harry were Conservatives and I must confess that it was not until today that I learned how long my fellow Tories reigned supreme in this borough, before that is the even longer period of Labour hegemony.  May I venture the thought perhaps that the time has come for a third party to take on the mantle, and I look forward to the time when the Merton Park Independents are sitting on that side of the chamber.  The third member of this impressive trio is Tony Colman, who I note has been a businessman, a councillor, an MP and an academic, that I can only add seems like a perfect combination.  Finally, last but not least, I turn to the one Honorary Alderwoman of the night, Janice Howard, who I do of course know.  A committed councillor for 12 years, a very successful and scrupulously fair mayor and someone who, despite our political differences, was always fun to gossip with, particularly when were together outside one of the polling stations in Wimbledon Park.  I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this honour. May I finish by congratulating all those recognised this evening, along with their friends and families.  Those of us now sitting in your seats will do our best to live up to your principles and learn from your examples. Thank you. 

The Mayor then called for a vote and the vote was carried, unanimously. Ivor Heller was invited to receive a certificate conferring upon him the title of Honorary Freeman of the Borough affixed with the common seal of the Council.

The substantive resolution was agreed.

RESOLVED:

That, by virtue of the power vested in it by Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council does admit Ivor Heller as Freeman of the London Borough of Merton.

This honour is bestowed on Ivor Heller in recognition of the substantial contribution he made to the Borough including his work for AFC Wimbledon and his continuing work within the community.