Call to make public vote on Market Drayton troops' honour

Calls have been made for a vote taking place tomorrow on whether to honour Shropshire-based soldiers with the freedom of Market Drayton to be made public.

Mark Whittle, a member of the town council, said he supported the idea to honour the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment with the freedom of the town following their return from Afghanistan this month.

But he claimed some of his colleagues felt the soldiers, who have just returned from a seven-month tour of Helmand Province, did not deserve the accolade.

The councillor said he was calling for the results of the vote to be made public as well as how councillors voted.

The town council's community and governance committee will vote on the proposal tomorrow.

Councillor Whittle today urged people who support the idea to attend the meeting.

He said: "I was shocked and dismayed when I heard a couple of my fellow councillors say they felt the regiment did not deserve it. The town should know there has been some talk leading up to this meeting of some members not supporting this idea.

"I don't want the soldiers to think that some or any of the councillors are against them because they have done such a lot of hard work out there in Afghanistan.

"They know we appreciate them because we are holding a homecoming parade in the town on Monday. Sadly there are some councillors, but not many, who don't want the soldiers to have the freedom of the town.

"So I'm going to propose on the night that the vote is recorded so members cannot hide the way they voted because we are all supposed to be on the council to represent the town."

Councillor Whittle said the chance to honour the regiment might not present itself again while it is based at Tern Hill.

He added: "I'm very hopeful it will go through at the meeting but we have to go through the proper procedures to get there."

The meeting will be held in Market Drayton Town Hall in Frogmore Road from 7.30pm.

By Tom Johannsen