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A COUNCILLOR has criticised a change to how the Freedom of the City is awarded in the Potteries.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council has adopted a new protocol for conferring the honour, which will see decisions made by a new selection panel, made up of the Lord Mayor and group leaders.

But City Independent councillor Paul Breeze has hit out at this change, saying it has come in response to his successful bid to have the Freedom of the City awarded to former Stoke City kit man Neil Nello Baldwin.

Mr Breeze said: Isnt it strange that over the last three-and-a-half years the Labour group have been putting forward people for Honorary Freedom of the City, but as soon as I put forward Neil Baldwin...all hell broke loose behind the scenes. I had a phone call from council leader Mohammed Pervez saying backbenchers couldnt do this. There was no problem with the way things were being done.

Andy Platt, who proposed the amendment, said a more comprehensive overhaul of the councils constitution could come next year.

He said: One thing we have talked about in the constitution working group is a refresh of the constitution rather than individual amendments. It will be something that is looked at over the coming months.

See the article here:

Freedom of Stoke-on-Trent protocol change condemned