By Cara Waters
British pop star Robbie Williams being gifted the key to the city has caused an overhaul of City of Melbourne rules about who can receive the honour.
Williams was presented with the key to the city by Lord Mayor Nick Reece at a free surprise public concert at Federation Square on January 2 before an estimated crowd of 10,000.
However, the decision to give Williams the honour came under scrutiny after it was revealed Reece and council chief executive Alison Leighton made the decision alone, and the other councillors only found out the day before the public ceremony.
Councillors demanded a review of the City of Melbourne’s processes after Roadshow Films, a fully owned subsidiary of Village Roadshow and the distributor of the Williams biopic Better Man, requested the singer receive the key to the city.