Agenda item - Decriminalise Sex Work and Prioritise Safety

1)     That the petition is noted.

56.1    The Mayor invited Bea to join the meeting and present the petition for debate titled ‘Decriminalise Sex Work and Prioritise Safety’ which had received 1326 signatures at the time the agenda was published.

56.2    The Mayor invited Councillor Daniel, Cabinet Member for Children, Families, Youth Services & for Ending Violence Against Women & Girlsto reply:

56.3    Councillor Daniel replied:

Thank you so much for bringing it and it was really nice to meet you outside and I look forward to working with you going forward now you have my details.

Thank you so much for bringing this petition. We are committed to making the city a place to be proud of healthy, fair, inclusive, where everybody thrives. I'm determined that the substance of this petition in relation to access to supportive, non-judgemental services is implemented.

I would say that the Council is already working closely with the police, health, LGBTQ switchboard and Oasis to support those working in sex work in order that they can be as safe and healthy as possible and can also leave when they want to do so. I will ensure that our new Violence Against Women and Girls Prevention Board includes those providers and other voices, potentially including yours, to make sure that any gaps in provision, or barriers to accessing any element of the public sector services that we provide in a dignified manner, are addressed.

Your petition is an invitation to start a conversation, and you have all my contact details. It's a conversation I am committed to. We will continue to work with partners to support those who are involved in sex work and we will look at how we can address other points of the deputation, in particular ensuring that we are not unwittingly colluding with those who seek to benefit from the exploitation of others. For example, some years ago I spoke in this Chamber about my concern about the treatment of people who have escaped sex trafficking who were subsequently detained and deported. For me, that's an organised crime charter and it's something that was left to go on for over a decade under the last government and I'm very confident that those loopholes and those perverse incentives will be addressed by the new Labour government.

So thank you once again and I will defer to the rest of the Chamber to have a say now.

56.4    Councillor Goldsmith moved an amendment on behalf of the Green Group which was formally seconded by Councillor Hill.

56.5    Councillors Hogan and Fishleigh spoke on the matter.

56.7    The Mayor moved to put the amendment to the vote.

56.8    The Mayor confirmed that the amendment had been lost and put the recommendation to note the petition as listed in the original report to the vote.

56.9    RESOLVED

(1)       That the petition is noted.