TEN Honorary Aldermen have been appointed as one of the final acts of the Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

Existing and former councillors attended the ceremony at the final borough council meeting on Thursday evening.

Former veteran councillor Andy Hutchings who had served for almost a quarter of a century before standing down was among the existing aldermen who received a special badge.

He told the meeting that, if nothing else, he would be remembered for getting a new sign put up in the former chief executive's office pointing to the way out.

“On my first day I was ushered into the chief executive's office and at the end stood up to walk out – only to find myself in his toilet. He said 'right, that's it' and after that a sign was put up saying 'this way out.'”

Cllr Christine James said that exactly the same thing had happened to her.

The 'alderman' title can only be given to councillors “who had been, or were entitled to be elected Mayor of Weymouth and Portland during their term of office and who must have also served for at least ten years on the council.

Councillors, and one ex-councillor, to receive the title are - Cllr Kevin Brookes, Cllr Hazel Bruce, Cllr Christine James, Cllr Paul Kimber, Cllr Richard Kosior, Cllr Margaret Leicester, Cllr Pamela Nixon, Cllr Gill Taylor, Cllr Mark Tewkesbury, Cllr Kate Wheller and Dr Ian Roebuck.