A DARTFORD councillor of 40 years has been awarded an honorary Aldermanship for his service to the town.

Terry Smith was born and bred in the Heath ward of the town, where he first became a councillor in 1965.

Four years after being elected, Mr Smith became mayor and was appointed the Alderman for the Heath ward a year later.

The current mayor of Dartford Councillor Eddy Lampkin recognised Mr Smith’s achievements at a special meeting of the council on March 26.

Dartford Council leader Councillor Jeremy Kite said: “It’s a great honour for the council to award this Aldermanship to Terry Smith in recognition of his service to the borough.

“On a personal note, I would like to thank Terry for the immeasurable amounts of support and advice he has given me personally and the council as a whole.”

It was only last year Mr Smith retired from the council and in his years as a councillor, he chaired among others the planning and transport committees.

During his term as mayor in the 1960s, he signed Dartford’s first town twinning charter, pairing the borough with Hanau in Germany.

Fellow Heath ward Councillor Patsy Thurlow said: “I’d known Terry for a number of years before 1999 when we both stood as candidates in Heath Ward.

“It was good to have someone who was ‘older and wiser’ to help me through my early days as councillor.

“I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honour and I’d like to thank Terry for all his help, support and friendship over the years.”

Mr Smith was a teacher by profession, retiring from his post as headmaster at St Joseph’s Grammar School in Abbey Wood in 1994.

The position of Alderman is ceremonial today but it was once a title handed to the most senior councillors.