Leicester City Council convened a special meeting on Thursday, May 15, 2025, to discuss the appointment of an Honorary Alderman. The agenda for the meeting indicated that councillors would consider a proposal to bestow the title upon former Councillor Vijay Riyait.

Appointment of Honorary Alderman

The council was scheduled to consider a proposal to appoint former Councillor Vijay Riyait as an Honorary Alderman. According to the report pack, Section 249 of the Local Government Act 1972 empowers the council to:

confer the title of Honorary Alderman on persons who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered eminent services to the Council as past Members of that Council but who are not then Councillors of the Council.

The report pack stated that such a decision requires a resolution passed by at least two-thirds of the members voting at a special council meeting.

The responsibilities of an Honorary Alderman were outlined in the report pack, noting that they may:

attend and take part in such civic ceremonies as the Council may from time to time decide, but does not, as such, have the right to attend meetings of the Council or to receive any allowance or other payment under the Members Allowances Scheme.

The council's policy, agreed on February 19, 2019, sets out the qualifying criteria for the award:

• The title should be awarded at the end of a councillor's front-line political career, with the expectation that they will not seek public office afterward.
• It should be awarded after significant service, defined as a period of more than one full term as a Councillor.
• The councillor should not have previously held the position of Lord Mayor.
• Nominations may be considered up to once per year and may be received from councillors who are not part of a political group.

The report pack noted that all groups were invited to submit nominations, and only one nomination, presumably for former Councillor Vijay Riyait, was received.

The report pack also stated that there were no financial, legal, equalities, or climate emergency implications associated with the appointment.