CAR manufacturer Nissan has been unanimously nominated to be granted the Freedom of the City of Sunderland.

At its meeting on Wednesday, Sunderland City Council tabled a Notice of Motion that the company should receive the Freedom.

It said: 'This council congratulates wholeheartedly the Nissan workforce for their sterling efforts in securing the future production of the next generation Qashqai and X-Trail and feels that it is right and proper for the workforce of Nissan to receive the Freedom of the City at a future date.'

The notice, which received cross-party support, was proposed by council leader Paul Watson, who said: "For the first time we have the real secret of Nissan's success - it's the workforce."

Paraphrasing comments from Trevor Mann, a Sunderland worker who became Nissan's Chief Performance Officer and who himself was awarded a Freedom of the City in 2014, Cllr Watson added: "There is a spirit and enthusiasm that makes Sunderland a very special place. Nissan's successes would not have been possible without the people of Sunderland."

The Northern Echo:

Nissan's Sunderland plant

Last month Nissan, which employs more than 7,000 people in Sunderland, said it would be updating its production facilities with a new Qashqai model and a new vehicle the X-Trail.

In the 30 years since it began production in Sunderland, more than eight million vehicles have rolled off its production lines, and the plant helps support thousands of jobs across the North-East.

Leader of the council's Conservative Opposition Group, Peter Wood seconded and backed the notice and referred to the “great” achievement of the Nissan workforce and how the company has transformed both the city’s and the region’s economy.

The Northern Echo:

Workers on the Leaf production line

"It is right to recognise the contribution of the men and women who work at Nissan – on the production line, in the office and in the boardroom. To confer the freedom of the city upon them is the best way we as councillors can show how proud we are of them for the pride they take in their work."

With unanimous support in the council chamber and its acceptance as City Council policy, the council will now look to further arrangements for a Nissan Freedom Ceremony in 2017.

Recent freedoms have included former Sunderland AFC players Niall Quinn MBE and its goalkeeping legend Jimmy Montgomery BEM, and Joël Batteux the Mayor of Sunderland's twin-town St Nazaire.