Issue - meetings

Councillor Johnson (as Chair) advised that he had agreed to receive a deputation at the meeting from Sheila Guhadasan representing the Brent & Harrow Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).  The Chair welcomed Sheila Guhadasan along with other representatives from the Brent & Harrow PSC who were attending in support.  Members were advised that the deputation was seeking an update on the progress with the Council’s review of investments under the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment following the presentation of their petition divesting for Palestine at the Full Council meeting in September 2024 and subsequent deputation to the Sub Committee in February 2025.

In addressing the Committee, Sheila Guhadasan began by congratulating Brent Council on their recent decision to twin with Nablus, stating that she was pleased to see Brent receiving their first visitors from Nablus that same week.

In highlighting the ongoing situation in Gaza and the previous call on the Council to consider divesting from companies complicit in Israel’s stance against the Palestinians, the Sub Committee was reminded that the original petition submitted in support to the request made by the PSC had attracted over 2000 signatures calling on the Council to recognise what were felt to be their legal and moral responsibilities and join the growing number of Councils, public bodies and institutions divesting for Palestine.  Referring to the six divestment calls for action presented as part of the previous deputation, the Sub Committee was advised of the growing support and public commitments being made by other local authorities and companies (including those in the retail sector) towards divestment, with surveys showing that public support for such action also remained high.

In terms of wider action, it was pointed out that the Brent and Harrow PSC had also been working with Trade Unions in support of their divestment campaign, including Brent National Education Union and UNISON as a recognised partner, with the Council also called upon to fully commit to the process including consideration of the investments held in the Local Government Pension Fund.  In recognising the move toward pooled funding arrangements with the London CIV the Sub Committee was also urged to ensure the necessary assurances were sought on the ethical criteria of the investment funds operated through the CIV to ensure zero complicity in what were regarded (by the deputation) as the genocidal acts being committed by Israel in relation to their occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.  Similarities, in this respect, were drawn to the stance which had previously been taken by the Council in seeking to divest from companies implicit in the apartheid regime in South Africa.

Highlighting that the deputation represented a shared call for ethical divestment by many, including environmental campaigners, Sheila Guhadasan ended by outlining what she felt to be the clear moral and legal basis for the specific actions which had been identified.  Having referred to the work being undertaken with Brent National Education Union in support of the divestment campaign, Sheila Guhadasan advised that she had hoped to be joined in  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5