Notice of Motion

 

Green GROUP

BLACK LIVES MATTER / Anti-racist council

 

Further to previous council communications, this council formally pledges to be an anti-racist council and to advocate values of anti-racism across Brighton and Hove. [1]

Council therefore resolves to ask the Chief Executive to:

·         Work to convene a meeting with political leaders in the city and the Brighton and Hove Black Lives Matter group, to respond to demands

·         Offer support to those taking part in the Black Lives Matter protests through outlining practicable council health and safety assistance available to organisers during the Covid-19 pandemic; e.g. measures or signage to aid social distancing, access to protective equipment etc.

 

Council also requests that the Chief Executive writes to the Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), expressing this council’s desire for the PCC to conduct an investigation into:

  • the disproportionate use of stop-and-search powers against BAME communities, and pressing for a review into the response of Sussex PCC to the Macpherson Report and Lammy review; as well as the role of local Community Scrutiny panels; [2]
  • how the use of excessive force and the Prevent strategy discriminate against BAME communities in Sussex

 

Further, that council requests officers bring a report on the above matters to the Tourism Equalities, Communities and Culture committee, in particular detailing:

·         information on the BAME pay gap and underrepresentation of BAME employees within the council, [3] which may be shaped by the results of the Global HPO report on Race Equality in Employment; and a timeline for implementation of any recommendations that result from this [4]

Proposed by: Councillor Heley                    Seconded by: Councillor Powell

Supporting Information:

[1] As a largely white council, we have to do more to be anti-racist and dismantle the institutional racism within our organisation and across the city. Declaring that we are an anti-racist city is not enough: for a pledge to be meaningful, it has to be backed up by action and collaboration with the Black community and people of colour in the city.

[2] It has recently been reported that Black people are 10 times more likely to be stopped and searched than others in Sussex: https://bit.ly/3fdVqcJ

[3] In the new report on Ethnic Minority Representation in UK Local Government, by Professor Maria Sobolewska and Dr Neema Begum, Brighton and Hove is listed as an under representative council in terms of elected officials: https://bit.ly/2VYSM3i

[4] Global HPO review: https://bit.ly/2VXfqJa