Issue - meetings

MOTIONS ON NOTICE

Meeting: 26/02/2020 - Council (Item 68)

MOTIONS ON NOTICE

In accordance with the Constitution, motions on notice must be signed by at least two Members and be about matters for which the Council has a responsibility or which affect the Melton Borough.

 

The following motion was received from the Leader of the Council:

 

Following the Government’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition in 2017, Government has been encouraging Councils  to formally adopt the definition as a clear message that antisemitic behaviour will not be tolerated. The Secretary of State wrote to all Council Leaders on 15 October 2019 to explain the need to take urgent action.  I therefore encourage  the Council to respond positively to this motion as this also fits with our recently adopted Equality Scheme and the Council’s aspirations to champion diversity across the Borough.

 

Hatred, and particularly religious hatred, in all forms, is not something that should be tolerated in our society. Whilst there have been instances of hatred appallingly directed at several religions, worryingly there is an upward national trend in antisemitic hatred that must not be tolerated.

 

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief recently released a report which agreed that the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism can offer valuable guidance for identifying antisemitism in its various forms.

 

The IHRA definition is as follows:

 

‘Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.  Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities’.

 

This definition is encouraged in its use in ‘education, awareness-raising and for monitoring and responding to manifestations of antisemitism’.

 

I therefore move that

 

(1)  Melton Borough Council agrees  with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of anti-semitism:

‘Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities’;

 

(2)  Council notes that :

We have both a legal and a moral duty to show fairness and equality to our residents, our service users and our employees.  We currently have systems in place to ensure that antisemitism is not tolerated within our District.  These include our commitment to hate incident/crime reporting and also our Equality Plan, whilst these are not specific to antisemitism they both ensure that antisemitism is not tolerated.  Through either of these channels  we would expect any antisemitism to be identified and challenged appropriately. Antisemitism is covered under the characteristic ‘religion and belief’ in both hate incident/crime reporting and the Equality Act 2010;

 

(3)  Subject to approval of recommendation (1) that as per the request from the Secretary of State the Council’s Democratic Services Manager be authorised to inform him of the Council decision.

Minutes:

In accordance with the Constitution, motions on notice must be signed by at least two Members and be about matters for which the Council has a responsibility or which affect the Melton Borough.

 

The following motion was received from the Leader of the Council and Councillor Faulkner:

 

Following the Government’s adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition in 2017, Government has been encouraging Councils  to formally adopt the definition as a clear message that antisemitic behaviour will not be tolerated. The Secretary of State wrote to all Council Leaders on 15 October 2019 to explain the need to take urgent action.  I therefore encourage  the Council to respond positively to this motion as this also fits with our recently adopted Equality Scheme and the Council’s aspirations to champion diversity across the Borough.

 

Hatred, and particularly religious hatred, in all forms, is not something that should be tolerated in our society. Whilst there have been instances of hatred appallingly directed at several religions, worryingly there is an upward national trend in antisemitic hatred that must not be tolerated.

 

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief recently released a report which agreed that the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism can offer valuable guidance for identifying antisemitism in its various forms.

 

The IHRA definition is as follows:

 

‘Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.  Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities’.

 

This definition is encouraged in its use in ‘education, awareness-raising and for monitoring and responding to manifestations of antisemitism’.

 

Therefore the following motion was proposed by Councillor Orson, seconded by Councillor Faulkner and carried at the vote:

 

(1)  Melton Borough Council agrees  with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of anti-semitism:

‘Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities’;

 

(2)  Council notes that :

We have both a legal and a moral duty to show fairness and equality to our residents, our service users and our employees.  We currently have systems in place to ensure that antisemitism is not tolerated within our District.  These include our commitment to hate incident/crime reporting and also our Equality Plan, whilst these are not specific to antisemitism they both ensure that antisemitism is not tolerated.  Through either of these channels  we would expect any antisemitism to be identified and challenged appropriately. Antisemitism is covered under the characteristic ‘religion and belief’ in both hate incident/crime reporting and the Equality Act 2010;

 

(3)  Subject to approval of recommendation (1) that as per the request from the Secretary of State the Council’s Democratic Services Manager be authorised to inform him of the Council decision.

 

The above resolution was voted as follows:

 

FOR THE MOTION (27)

Bains,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 68