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 the late Vincent Talbot as Freeman of the London Borough of Merton.

This honour is bestowed on the late Vincent Talbot in recognition of the substantial contribution he made to the Borough as the first Council Leader of the then newly former Borough of Merton.

Mr. Talbot was first elected in 1949 as a councillor for the then Merton and Morden Urban District Council, a position he held for 16 years. He then served as a councillor for the London Borough of Merton from 1964 to 1982 and was elected Mayor of Merton for the civic year 1981/1982.

When Merton was formed in 1965, Honorary Alderman Talbot held the influential position of the first Council Leader until 1971. Mr. Talbot returned to the role of Council Leader for a further year from 1974 to 1975. He was then made an Honorary Alderman for his long service to the Council in 1990.”

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 McLean to move and Councillor Whelton to second the motion.

Councillor McLean:

Madam Mayor, Deputy Lieutenant, I am delighted to propose the late Vincent Talbot as Freeman of the London Borough of Merton.

Vincent was known by his nickname of ‘Tolly’. He worked as a stockbroker and was born on 14^th March 1916.

Tolly served twice as Leader of the council. He was the first ever Leader of Merton Council following the reorganisation of local government, first serving from 1965-71, he later returned to be Leader of the Council in 1974-75. He was the Mayor of Merton in 1981-82 before standing down at the 1982 elections.

Prior to 1965 Tolly was the Chairman of the Merton & Morden Urban District, this is listed on the board in the corridor beside the Council Chamber. He was always intrigued to wonder if, one day, someone would link the two mentions on the honour boards together. Perhaps this is an idea whose time has now come!

In addition to his service to Merton as a councillor Tolly served for many years on the Aldermanic Bench, until its abolition. He served as a JP in Wimbledon for many years before retiring to Sutton and then to the Sussex coast.

Madam Mayor and Deputy Lieutenant, I am delighted to propose the late Vincent Talbot as freeman of the London Borough of Merton, in recognition of his years of service to the borough.

Councillor Whelton:

Thank you Madam Mayor. I wish to second the nomination of Vincent Talbot. Vincent Talbot had a major part in the history of Merton. He was the first Leader of this Council in 1965. Like some subsequent Councils, it was a hung Council and he rested on the support of the residents to be the Leader. But nevertheless it was bringing three Councils together; Merton and Morden, Wimbledon and Mitcham and that was a time of great change. In that administration Merton was one of the first Councils to introduce comprehensive schools in 1968, something that I believe has significantly benefited this Borough in the past 55 years. He also started a major housebuilding programme a new Council enabled rebuilding of new homes in my ward Pollards Hill and also the Eastfields estate. He was also the first person to serve as Leader and subsequently became Mayor in 1981 to 1982, but after he stood down from the Council in 1982 he was Chair of the Mitcham Common Conservators. I am the current Chair of that body but I know we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Vincent Talbot for his contribution but also ensuring that body has stable finances from which we benefit to this day, so much so that back in 2011 a road in Pollards Hill was named after him on the meadows – Talbot Close. That is the honour of Vincent Talbot and his contribution to Mitcham.

I think in the history of Merton Vincent Talbot and Harry Cowd have two significant places to play given the Conservative dominance of the first 25 years of Merton Council, having us as a Labour party spending just three years of that in power from 1971-1974. They had a knack of winning elections, disappointing for us, but in terms of the Conservatives probably brought them huge benefits in terms of the number of years they governed this Council for, an incredible 22 out of the first 25 years. That success hasn’t’ been replicated since but I think they did leave a legacy in the Borough and Harry Cowd as well as the Leader mentioned. I would also like to pay tribute to the work of Tony Colman. Tony Colman became Leader, this Council had been predominantly a Conservative dominated Council and through his legacy that this has been predominantly Labour since that time. Many difficult choices, many difficult decisions made but made a huge contribution and finally to Ivor Heller, what can I say Ivor about you and your contribution to this Borough?

I first got to know Ivor when I was the Mayor of Merton back in 2008/9; effervescent, lively and completely and utterly dedicated to AFC Wimbledon, rising up from what happened and that terrible decision in 2002 and AFC Wimbledon, if it hadn’t been for people like Ivor, we wouldn’t have a club in Wimbledon and it wouldn’t be here today. It was also a great honour when I was Cabinet Member in my first stint for Culture, then subsequently for Regeneration to work with you in terms of delivery of that stadium, so congratulations to all the recipients today, I formally second, thank you Madam Mayor.

The Mayor then called for a vote and the vote was carried, unanimously. The family of Vincent Talbot were invited to receive a certificate conferring upon Mr Talbot 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 the late Vincent Talbot as Freeman of the London Borough of Merton.

This honour is bestowed on the late Vincent Talbot in recognition of the substantial contribution he made to the Borough as the first Council Leader of the then newly formed Borough of Merton.

Mr. Talbot was first elected in 1949 as a councillor for the then Merton and Morden Urban District Council, a position he held for 16 years. He then served as a councillor for the London Borough of Merton from 1964 to 1982 and was elected Mayor of Merton for the civic year 1981/1982.

When Merton was formed in 1965, Honorary Alderman Talbot held the influential position of the first Council Leader until 1971. Mr. Talbot returned to the role of Council Leader for a further year from 1974 to 1975. He was then made an Honorary Alderman for his long service to the Council in 1990.