Boost for Noddy Holder fans hoping to see civic award

The event will be held in the council chamber at 6pm on June 24 and will be open to members of the public, who can watch from the gallery.

There is space for up to 100 people in the gallery, but Councillor Pete Smith, who campaigned for Noddy to get the honour, said there will be many more who will want to watch.

So council leader Mike Bird has agreed for committee rooms of the council house to be opened up with video screens showing the event. A reception will then be held in a conference suite afterwards for invited guests.

The musician will become only the 21st person to receive the privilege in 109 years after the council voted unanimously last year to approach the star. It came following a motion put forward by Councillor Smith.

The invitation was made on the 40th anniversary of the release of Merry Xmas Everybody, which went to number one and stayed in the charts until February 1974.

Councillor Smith said: "There will be a lot of people who want to see the ceremony so I think action needs to be taken to address this."

Counillor Bird said the council would look at which committee rooms can be used.

He added: "We can transmit council meetings in there so it shouldn't be a problem. It will be put to the council now I have had the request."

Councillor Smith added: "We've seen Lenny Henry honoured in Dudley and Frank Skinner and Julie Walters in Sandwell and the time has come to confer the same honour on Noddy Holder. It is reserved for those who have made an extraordinary contribution to the borough and he fits the bill. With Slade, he's had 17 consecutive top 20 hits and has helped to put Walsall on the map.

"Despite not having lived in the town for many years, he still refers to Walsall as home."