FORMER city mayor Michael Andrews, who died in last year's Catalina seaplane disaster on Southampton Water, is to be honoured with a posthumous degree.

Governors of Southampton Institute have voted to bestow a Master of Arts degree on their late chairman.

The award will be formally presented to Mr Andrews's partner Liz Longman during a graduation ceremony at Southampton Guildhall next Thursday. She said: "Obviously I am very proud to receive this on his behalf. It is a great honour."

Institute principal Dr Roger Brown said: "It gives me particular pleasure that it has been decided to honour Michael in this way.

"He gave me wise counsel and guidance in my early months as principal and I had tremendous respect for him as a person."

A governor for 21 years, Mr Andrews oversaw a huge expansion in the Institute's size, status and range of courses. He was elected chairman in 1997. He was also an expert on finance and in 1996 was appointed the world's first Professor of Business Valuation.

Mr Andrews represented Southampton as a Tory councillor for 22 years.

Fellow councillors welcomed the award. Council leader June Bridle said: "It's a very fitting tribute. He put in a lot of time and effort, and gave tremendous support to the Institute. He was very committed."

David Abraham, who replaced Mr Andrews as Tory group leader, said: "The award is well-deserved and gives recognition to the service that Michael gave, not only to the Institute, but also to the city."

The posthumous degree follows last year's decision by the Institute to name its new £9 million administration building after Mr Andrews.

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