Dropping titles from names of female councillors will help Rugby council move “out of dark ages”

Dropping titles from the names of female councillors will help Rugby Borough Council to move “out of the dark ages”, according to an opposition leader.

Labour group leader Councillor Michael Moran (Admirals & Cawston) made the reference after the automatic use of suffixes when addressing female councillors was scrapped without dissent at a meeting of full council on Wednesday (March 13).

Until now, male councillors would be referred to by the title councillor and their surname but female members would be referred to as councillor miss or missus followed by their surname.

In September 2023, Councillor Isabelle McKenzie (Lib Dem, Rokeby and Overslade), backed by Councillor Louise Robinson (Lab, Admirals & Cawston), put forward a motion – essentially a statement of intent – for the council’s equality and diversity steering group to consider changes.

The motion argued that “by adding missus or miss to the title of female councillors, the council is implicitly saying all councillors are male unless otherwise designated”.

It added: “As gender and marital status have no relevance to undertaking the role of a councillor, the suffix of missus or miss must be removed.”

It received broad but not unanimous support at the time.

A named vote – where the verdict of each individual councillor is recorded if requested by enough members – was called for with 32 of the councillors present supporting change.

One – Councillor Lisa Parker (Con, Bilton) – objected and three fellow Conservatives – Councillor Tony Gillias (Revel & Binley Woods), Councillor Carolyn Watson-Merrett (Admirals & Cawston) and Councillor Eve Hassell (Clifton, Newton & Churchover – chose not to vote either way.

There was no recorded vote this time.

Councillor Carolyn Robbins (Con, Coton & Boughton), portfolio holder for finance, performance, legal and governance, said: “I am quite happy with this report but I would just like to point out that councillors who would like a suffix, whether it be mister, miss or missus or whatever it is, can apply to have that in front of their names.

“That has always been the case but it is good to have it clarified so members know exactly what they are permitted to do.”

Cllr Moran did not speak at the time of the decision but later said: “I am conscious that my colleague Councillor Robbins posted details of that on LinkedIn, the social networking site for business.

“I think it is fair to say the response was quite clear about bringing the council out of the dark ages.”