This Council notes with grave concern that visitor numbers in Brighton & Hove dropped by more than 14% year on year in the first four month period of 2012/13

Green Group Amendment

Get Me Home Safely

That the relevant changes are made to the recommendations as shown below in ~~strikethrough~~ and bold italics:

This Council notes:

Shift work is widespread in many industries, particularly hospitality, as well as health and care workers, retail, cleaning, security and porter staff and can often entail late-night working;
Many workers, especially women, are increasingly worried about their safety travelling to and from work at night

3. The council is developing a VAWG strategy and a community safety strategy

English Councils do not have the same licencing powers as Scottish councils such as East Dunbartonshire Council referenced within the original Notice of Motion.

This Council believes:

That the root causes of violence against women is a direct result of societal misogyny which must be tackled if we are to improve the safety of workers, especially women who travel to and from work at night;

That misogyny when travelling at night is compounded for women who experience further violence such as that resulting from racism, transphobia and ableism;

While employers may feel their duty of care to staff ends when an employee finishes a shift, they also need to take into consideration journeys home, especially during unsocial hours;
The weakness of enforcement of the law against sexual assault, including up-skirting, on public transport is appalling and only 2% of victims go on to report sexual harassment on public transport;
Unite the union’s Get Me Home Safely campaign raises key issues that we must tackle including improving safety on public transport and in private vehicles, , which calls on employers to take all reasonable steps to ensure workers are able to get home safely from work at night, is greatly needed and should be supported;

Recognises that many late-night establishments, especially independent businesses are struggling to stay afloat across the city given the economic uncertainty.

Greater numbers of trained staff and stronger enforcement of the law against sexual assault and harassment on public transport are urgently needed;

Therefore, this Council resolves:

To request officers bring a report to Licensing Committee that seeks to explore the extent of its~~use~~ powers~~, as other local authorities such as East Dunbartonshire Council have,~~ to adopt a policy that our licensing committee and panels will ensure the process for approving late night licences will be linked to the provision of free transport home going forward.

To ask officers, as part of the development of the women and girls’ strategy and the community safety strategy, to explore the viability of adopting a women’s charter for Brighton and Hove that:

· focuses on tackling the roots of misogyny;

· highlights the dangers that too many women in our city face;

· puts forward joined up methods of working to improve safety, especially late at night.

Supporting Information:

https://www.unitetheunion.org/campaigns/get-me-home-safely-campaign/

Proposed by: Cllr John Seconded by: Cllr Rainey

Recommendations to read if carried:

This Council notes:

1. Shift work is widespread in many industries, particularly hospitality, as well as health and care workers, retail, cleaning, security and porter staff and can often entail late-night working;

2. Many workers, especially women, are increasingly worried about their safety travelling to and from work at night

3. The council is developing a VAWG strategy and a community safety strategy

4. English Councils do not have the same licencing powers as Scottish councils such as East Dunbartonshire Council referenced within the original Notice of Motion.

This Council believes:

5. That the root causes of violence against women is a direct result of societal misogyny which must be tackled if we are to improve the safety of workers, especially women who travel to and from work at night;

6. That misogyny when travelling at night is compounded for women who experience further violence such as that resulting from racism, transphobia and ableism;

7. While employers may feel their duty of care to staff ends when an employee finishes a shift, they also need to take into consideration journeys home, especially during unsocial hours;

8. The weakness of enforcement of the law against sexual assault, including up-skirting, on public transport is appalling and only 2% of victims go on to report sexual harassment on public transport;

9. Unite the union’s Get Me Home Safely campaign raises key issues that we must tackle including improving safety on public transport and in private vehicles which calls on employers to take all reasonable steps to ensure workers are able to get home safely from work at night, is greatly needed and should be supported;

10. Recognises that many late-night establishments, especially independent businesses are struggling to stay afloat across the city given the economic uncertainty.

11. Greater numbers of trained staff and stronger enforcement of the law against sexual assault and harassment on public transport are urgently needed;

Therefore, this Council resolves:

12. To request officers bring a report to Licensing Committee that seeks to explore the extent of its powers to adopt a policy that our licensing committee and panels will ensure the process for approving late night licences will be linked to the provision of free transport home going forward.

13. To ask officers, as part of the development of the women and girls’ strategy and the community safety strategy, to explore the viability of adopting a women’s charter for Brighton and Hove that:

· focuses on tackling the roots of misogyny;

· highlights the dangers that too many women in our city face;

· puts forward joined up methods of working to improve safety, especially late at night.