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, Bindloss, Carter, Chandler, Child, Cumbers, Browne, de Burle, Evans,
Douglas, Faulkner, Fisher, Freer-Jones, Graham, Hewson, Higgins, Holmes,
Illingworth, Lumley, Orson, Pearson, Posnett, Pritchett, Smedley, Steadman, Wilkinson, Wood.
AGAINST THE MOTION (0)
ABSTAINING FROM THE
MOTION (0)