Editing Kirklees (section)

===Borough status and mayoralty===
The shadow Kirklees District Council petitioned the [[Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council|privy council]] for a [[royal charter]] under section 245 of the Local Government Act 1972 granting the [[Borough status in the United Kingdom|status of a borough]] from 1 April 1974.<ref>{{cite book |title=Local government in England and Wales: A Guide to the New System |year=1974 |publisher=[[HMSO]] |location=London |isbn=0-11-750847-0 |page=25}}</ref> The grant of borough status entitled the chairman of the council to the title of "[[mayor]]", effectively continuing the mayoralties of the former boroughs of Dewsbury (1862), Huddersfield (1898), Batley (1869) and Spenborough (1955).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.kirklees.gov.uk/you-kmc/mayor/former/formermenu.shtml |title=Former Mayors |access-date=15 February 2009 |publisher=Kirklees Council |date=August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227223339/http://www2.kirklees.gov.uk/you-kmc/mayor/former/formermenu.shtml |archive-date=27 February 2009 }}</ref> The mayor is elected from among the councillors for a one-year term (the "civic year") at the council's annual meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/you-kmc/mayor/mayorsrole.shtml |title=The Mayor's Role |access-date=15 February 2009 |publisher=Kirklees Council |date=May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205014633/http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/you-kmc/mayor/mayorsrole.shtml |archive-date= 5 December 2008 }}</ref>

Kirklees is the most populated borough or district in England not to have [[List of cities in the United Kingdom|city status]]. In 2001 it was announced that a grant of city status was to be made to an English town to mark the [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II]], and Kirklees council indicated that it was considering applying on behalf of Huddersfield. An unofficial telephone poll by the [[Huddersfield Examiner]] found a slim majority against the proposal, and the council did not proceed with the application.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/2001/08aug/010809poll.shtml |title=Huddersfield people undecided on city status bid |access-date=14 February 2009 |publisher=Huddersfield Examiner |date=9 August 2001 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511195704/http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/2001/08aug/010809poll.shtml |archive-date=11 May 2008 }}</ref>

====Freedom of the borough====
[[File:Kirklees Freedom Scroll P2026364.JPG|thumb|180px|Yorkshire Volunteers Freedom Scroll]]
<!--RE: Source of Names. The list of names below was e-mailed to me direct on request from the Kirklees Mayors office by Sally Greenwood on 25 November 2006. User:Richard Harvey -->

Borough status also allows the council to confer the freedom of the borough on "persons of distinction". Since its formation Kirklees Council has granted this right to two individuals and two groups:
* 3rd Battalion [[Yorkshire Volunteers]] - (25 March 1979)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dwr.org.uk/dwr.php?id=132 |title=The Dukes and The West Riding |access-date=14 February 2009 |work=Regimental History |publisher=The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)Regimental Association |year=2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206165500/http://www.dwr.org.uk/dwr.php?id=132 |archive-date=6 February 2009 }}</ref> On 25 March 1979, Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council gave the Freedom of Kirklees to the 3rd Battalion of the Yorkshire Volunteers.  The 3rd Battalion was at that time the [[The Duke of Wellington's Regiment|Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)]] [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army]] unit. However the freedom given by Kirklees to the 3rd battalion of the Yorkshire Volunteers did not permit any transfer to heirs or successors and effectively that freedom ceased when the battalion was amalgamated into the [[East and West Riding Regiment]] on 1 July 1999. The East and West Riding Regiment ceased to exist on 6 June 2006, having been merged into the [[Yorkshire Regiment]] as its 4th Battalion. The Yorkshire Regiment requested the freedom to march to be transferred to them. On 25 October 2008 Kirklees Council transferred the Freedom of Huddersfield to the Yorkshire Regiment at a freedom parade held by the 3rd Battalion, formerly the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).
* Sir [[J. P. W. Mallalieu|William Mallalieu]] MP (27 January 1980)<ref name=besancon>{{cite news|title=Freedom of Kirklees ...for a French town! |work=Huddersfield Examiner |date=1 April 2005 |access-date=14 February 2009 |url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/tm_objectid=15357953&method=full&siteid=50060&headline=freedom-of-kirklees----for-a-french-town--name_page.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222034557/http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/tm_objectid%3D15357953%26method%3Dfull%26siteid%3D50060%26headline%3Dfreedom-of-kirklees----for-a-french-town--name_page.html |archive-date=22 February 2012 }}</ref>
* The Rt Hon [[Betty Boothroyd]] MP (20 November 1992)<ref name=besancon/>
* Citizens of [[Besançon]], [[France]] (7 October 2005)<ref name=besancon/>
* The Yorkshire Regiment (25 October 2008)<ref>{{cite news |first=Andrew |last=Hirst |title=Special Huddersfield parade to honour Yorkshire Regiment |work=Huddersfield Examiner |date=16 October 2008 |access-date=14 February 2009 |url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2008/10/16/special-huddersfield-parade-to-honour-yorkshire-regiment-86081-22044322/ }}</ref>
* [[Simon Armitage]] (20 March 2024)
* [[Patrick Stewart|Sir Patrick Stewart]] (20 March 2024)
<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kirkleestogether.co.uk/2024/03/20/freedom-of-the-borough-for-inspirational-people/ |title=Freedom of the Borough for inspirational people  |last=Kirklees |first=Susie |date=20 March 2024 |website=Kirklees Together |access-date=13 April 2024 }}</ref>