The City of Launceston council’s elected representatives will no longer be referred to as aldermen.
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At Monday’s meeting, councillor Andrea Dawkins moved a motion to change from aldermen to councillors. The motion passed nine votes to two.
Cr Dawkins said it was not about discrediting those who had stood before her, but about moving forward.
“The name alderman is a barrier, there is no doubt about that. I am not an old man,” she said.
Cr Dawkins said changing the title would create a more inclusive council.
“There are no millennials at this table and I believe it will be a very long time until there are,” she said.
“I would like to think that this council could facilitate young people to be able to have a voice and one way is to start by changing the term alderman to councillor so that it is an inclusive term that everyone can get behind.”
However, while most of her colleagues agreed with the motion, councillors Paul Spencer and Alan Harris voted against the motion.
The two councillors were concerned about the $8000 to $10,000 cost of the change.
“We were elected as alderman,” Cr Spencer said. “If you didn’t want to be called alderman, then why put your hand up.”
He suggested making the change at the next election.
Councillor Jim Cox was not at the meeting.