Agenda and minutes

The Vice-Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and announced that this

special meeting of the Council was to confer upon Baroness Doreen

Lawrence the Honorary Freedom of the London Borough of Lewisham.

The Vice-Chair then announced that, under Section 249(5) of the Local

Government Act 1972, a Borough Council can admit to the Honorary Freedom

of the Borough, ‘persons of distinction and persons who have, in the opinion

of the Council, rendered eminent services to the Borough’.  He then called

upon the Chief Executive to read out the resolution of the Council passed at a

meeting of the Council on 26 June 2013.

The Chief Executive formally reported that it was resolved that Baroness

Doreen Lawrence be admitted as an Honorary Freewoman of the London

Borough of Lewisham “in recognition of her work in seeking justice for her

son, Stephen and creating a positive and dynamic legacy in his honour

through the setting up of the Stephen Lawrence Centre and Charitable Trust.

To do one of these things in the wake of such a devastating personal tragedy

would be remarkable but to do both indicates someone deserving of the

highest recognition. The dignity and humanity that she has demonstrated

throughout the last 20 years makes her a truly inspirational figure in our

Borough.

Baroness Lawrence then signed the Freedom Roll of Honour and her

signature was witnessed by the Mayor and the Chief Executive.

The Vice-Chair then called upon, in turn, the Mayor, the Rt Hon Jack Straw

MP (via recorded video message), Councillor Duwayne Brooks, Councillor

Darren Johnson, Imran Khan, Reverend David Cruise, Rt Hon David Blunkett

MP (via recorded video message), Her Excellency Aloun Ndomet-Assamba,

High Commissioner of Jamaica, and finally, Stuart Lawrence, to speak in

support of the Council’s recommendation.

The Mayor, on behalf of the Council, then presented to Baroness Lawrence a

casket containing the Council’s resolution inscribed on a vellum scroll and

sealed by the Council. The Honorary Freewoman then responded and

thanked the Council for the honour that had been accorded to her.

The meeting closed at 7.24pm