RECENTLY-retired veteran councillor Kate Wood is in line to be made an honorary alderman of Wirral Council.

A proposal to confer the title on 78-year-old Kate – who achieved 39 years' continuous service with the local authority – will be considered at a special meeting of the council next Monday.

She said today: "I will be very pleased to accept the honour at the end of a long political career.

"It’s nice to get a bit of recognition; I shall wear my badge with pride."

Tory group leader Cllr Jeff Green, who nominated Kate for the honour, said:

"She has been an outstanding public servant and it is right that we honour her in this way.

"I believe this is the council’s way of honouring an outstanding contribution to the council and the people of Wirral. It is a very fitting honour for Kate."

She was a member of Merseyside Police Authority for more than 20 years and chairman of Wirral education committee for six years.

She said on retirement last year: "During my period with the police authority it became the best performing force in the country and crime fell.

"I felt very honoured and took great pride in my work with the police.

"Other than the police the most satisfying part of my political career was as chairman of education working with former director Mike Nicholl."

Kate began her political career as a Liberal she “crossed the floor” to join the Tories after an ideological clash.

She retired to devote more time to seeing her family. She has two daughters one who lives in Wallasey and the other in Bristol – and four grand-daughters.

Kate Wood is the 20th ex Wirral councillor to be made an honorary alderman.

The first ceremony took place in 1997 when there were 12 recipients – Harry Deverill, Frank Theaker, Richard Kimberley, Bill Wells, Ronald Leaper, David Fletcher, Arthur Smith, Dorothy Goodfellow, Ken Fox, Frank Jones, Bill Lungley and Gordon Williams.

Since then Gordon Lindsay, Peter Corcoran, Walter Smith , Michael Moore, Sid Dunn, Gordon Paterson and John Cocker have all received the honour.