THE 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh could be granted the Freedom of the Borough by Cheshire West and Chester Council at its meeting today (Thursday).
A meeting has to be specially convened to grant borough status and this is taking place before Thursday’s full council meeting.
Council leader Councillor Mike Jones said: “The council has strong links with the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh, developed before the soldiers were deployed in Afghanistan last December.
“We are extremely proud to work so closely with them and granting borough status I believe would be our way of thanking them for their bravery in a difficult theatre of war.
“It would also be opportune because the soldiers are marching through Chester on June 5 and they would be able to do so with the added bonus of being granted Freedom of the Borough status.”
Upton Councillor Jill Houlbrook whose ward includes the Dale Barracks where the soldiers and their families are based, first put forward the idea of Borough status.
She said: “I am very pleased that this Freedom of the Borough status is to be considered by Councillors on Thursday evening.
“Since coming to Chester the Royal Welsh have worked hard to engage with the local communities of Chester in the knowledge they are to be based in the city for some 10 years. The 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh are now very much part of the Upton community.”
If the status is granted the 1st Battalion will be awarded a scroll which will be presented to The Royal Welsh by Lord Mayor Neil Ritchie before they begin their march through Chester.
The Mercian Regiment and HMS Albion also have Freedom of the Borough status.
