The civil servant responsible for overseeing the introduction of the smoking ban and round-the-clock pub opening to Birmingham has been made an OBE.
Jacqui Kennedy, Birmingham City Council’s director of regulatory services, said she was ‘shocked’ to be named on the New Year Honour’s list.
The 46-year-old, responsible for licensing, trading standards, environmental health and registry offices, is honoured for services to local government.
She believes the award is in recognition for the way Birmingham embraced the Licensing Act 2003 and the Health Act – which extended pub opening times and banned smoking in public places, as well as clampdowns on loan sharks and her work with a national group tackling alcohol related disorder.
She said: “Birmingham has been a beacon of good practice in these two areas.”
