Freedom of the City motion to go before Full Council

10 March 2017

A motion requesting that the Freedom of the City of Aberdeen be conferred upon Denis Law CBE will go before Aberdeen City Council on Wednesday 15 March 2017.

The motion states:

“That this Council confer the Freedom of the City upon Denis Law CBE in recognition of his outstanding career as a world renowned footballer, his dedication to charitable endeavour, and his commitment to community sport in Aberdeen.”

The motion has been signed by 29 members of the Council including the Lord Provost and the Leader of the Council.

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 states that “A local authority may, by resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the members voting thereon at a meeting of the authority the notice of which specifies the proposed admission as an item of business, admit to be honorary freemen of their area persons of distinction and any persons who have rendered eminent service to their area.”

The Freedom of the City is the highest award the City Council can bestow. The most recent recipients were Scotland the What? (2008), The Highlanders, 4th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (2006), Professor John Mallard OBE (2004) and Sir Alex Ferguson CBE (1999).