14 December 2007
County Councillor Maurice Skilton, MBE will be honoured with the Freedom of the Borough of Eastbourne at a special ceremony at the Town Hall at 6pm on 7 January 2008. The Honour is being awarded to recognise the outstanding contribution that Councillor Skilton has made to Eastbourne and its community for more than 45 years and serving as a councillor for the Old Town on both the Eastbourne Borough and East Sussex County Councils.
Leader of Eastbourne Borough Council, Councillor David Tutt, says, “Maurice is a worthy recipient of this Honour. He commenced his service on the Borough Council in 1961 and has held the offices of Borough Leader, Borough Mayor and County Chairman. Maurice has played a lead role in many significant developments and events such as Eastbourne Park, the Annual Horse Show, and the International Children’s Conference, the latter in partnership with UNICEF and first held in 1995 in Eastbourne. He has also worked tirelessly in the old town area and worked hard on keeping the Old Town Library and the Beachy Head Countryside Centre open for the public.”
Maurice Skilton was first elected a councillor in 1961 for the former County Borough of Eastbourne and served until its abolition in 1974 (the last 10 years as an alderman). He was elected to the newly formed Borough Council in 1973 and served until 2006 with just one year break in that time. He was elected as Mayor between 1991 and 1993. Maurice also became a county councillor for the East Sussex County Council and has currently served 26 years.
The grant of title of Freeman of the Borough is the highest honour any British town or city can bestow. The power to admit "persons of distinction who have, in the opinion of the Council, rendered eminent service" has been specially given by Parliament.
Previous Freeman of Eastbourne have included such notable figures as Winston Churchill and the Scottish born American philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. More recently Martina Navratilova and Henry Allingham have received the award. The title is honorary and does not give any special privileges other than the right to attend civic events and functions in the Borough.
