Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

Report of the Executive Director of Resources.

The City Council considered a report of the Executive Director of Resources which recommended the Council to confer the title of Honorary Freeman of the City of Coventry upon Mr Ratan N. Tata, GBE, and Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, KB, CBE and for an appropriate ceremonial event to be arranged on a date to be determined to mark the occasion. 

Mr. Ratan N. Tata is Chairman Emeritus of Tata Group, which he joined in 1962 and served as the Chairman at Tata Industries Ltd. from 1981 to December 28, 2012. Mr Tata was responsible for transforming Tata Motors Ltd. into a Group strategy “think-tank” and a promoter of new ventures in high technology businesses. 

Professor Lord Bhattacharyya is the Founder and Chairman of Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) a unique academic group with a current annual programme of over £180 million which includes industrial and in-kind support.  From WMG's inception to the present day, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya has been a passionate advocate for academic engineering, with WMG being a beacon of manufacturing R&D and business education for 34 years.

RESOLVED that the City Council agree:

1.  That, pursuant to the powers conferred on the City Council by Section 249(5) of the Local Government Act 1972, the City Council admit Mr Ratan N. Tata GBE and Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya KB CBEas Honorary Freemen of the City  of Coventry in recognition of the investment of Tata Steel into Jaguar Land Rover which has enhanced and protected the status of car manufacturing in the region, the Jaguar Land Rover brand and particularly the employment of its employees and many subsidy suppliers, supported by the Warwick Manufacturing Group.

2.  That the Lord Mayor’s Office be requested to make suitable arrangements, on a date to be fixed later this year, for the celebration of the admission to the Honorary Freedom of the City to include the presentation to them of an Illuminated Address and, under the Common Seal, a copy of the Resolution set out above.