Agenda item
Non Cabinet Members' Debate
To enable non Cabinet Members to raise an issue of relevance to Brent for debate, on which notice has been provided in accordance with Standing Order 34 and to receive any reports from Cabinet Members, as required, on issues previously raised.
Members are asked to note that the subject identified for debate is as follows:
Forward Together: Brent’s commitment to tackle racial inequalities
The motion put forward as the basis of this debate has been attached.
Decision:
The following motion was agreed as an outcome of the non-cabinet member debate:
Forward Together: Brent’s commitment to tackle racial inequalities
The Council Notes:
§ Brent is the most diverse borough in London, with a long and proud tradition of celebrating diversity and welcoming people from all backgrounds and communities to live, learn and work here.
§ Brent has the seventh highest Black community in London by numbers; with generations of unique stories of trial and unsung achievements.
§ The murder of George Floyd in the United States of America has justifiably triggered global protests against institutional racism faced by Black people, including here in the United Kingdom.
§ That alongside this monstrous act of police brutality, the world is looking on with growing alarm at the ongoing situation in Nigeria, in which peaceful protestors, campaigning for change – are being killed by security forces.
§ That these global protests have come alongside all the inequalities faced by Black people, in the wake of the devastatingly disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities in Britain and other parts of the world.
§ That it is clear that this impact has been made far worse by the structural inequalities Black people face when it comes to health, education and housing.
§ The welcome commitment to embed equality and diversity in all the activities the council undertakes through the ten point Brent Black Community Action Plan.
This Council believes:
§ That Black Lives Matter.
§ That George Floyd’s murder must be a catalyst for permanent change both at home and overseas.
§ That no institution can absolve itself of the responsibility to do more to tackle racial inequalities.
§ That there is no place for racism, anti-Semitism, islamophobia or any form of xenophobia or bigotry anywhere in our democracy.
§ That language is a powerful tool for inspiration and change, as well as oppression and ignorance and must be used wisely and respectfully.
§ That it is vital all efforts are taken to understand the impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities in Brent and that we should work with all relevant stakeholders to mitigate the impact now and into the future.
This Council Resolves:
§ To show continued leadership in the campaign to rid our city and world of racism.
§ To continue working to achieve the ten point Brent Black Community Action Plan, which includes tackling health inequalities, developing community spaces that will be run and managed by members of the community and an internal review of processes in the council.
§ That the work of elected representatives in this chamber, must play a substantive and public role in ensuring racism and discrimination are challenged and eradicated at all levels.
§ To continually seek the views of our diverse communities across Brent on the issues arising from the Black Lives Matter protests.
§ To call on the government to fully uphold the protections contained in the Equality Act of 2010 and to implement the recommendations contained in the:
(i) Public Health England report into the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on our BAME communities;
(ii) The Lammy report
(iii) The Angiolini review
(iv) The Home Office Windrush review
(v) McGregor-Smith review
Minutes:
In accordance with Standing Order 34, the Mayor advised that the next item on the agenda was the non-cabinet member debate, with the subject chosen for consideration Brent’s commitment to tackling racial inequalities.
Members were advised that the motion submitted as the basis for debate had been circulated with the agenda and that the time available for the debate was 25 minutes.
The Mayor then invited Councillor Shahzad to introduce the motion. As context for the debate, Councillor Shahzad highlighted the efforts of people around the world to bring attention to racial injustice through the Black Lives Matter movement, beginning with condemnation of the murder of George Floyd. It was recognised that the inequalities faced by Black people had been further highlighted by the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities across the world, as a result of the structural inequalities faced in relation to health, education and housing. He therefore urged all members to support the motion put forward for debate regarding the Council’s commitment to tackling racial inequalities.
The Mayor then opened up the debate to other members, with the following comments made during the discussion that followed:
Councillor Ethapemi, speaking in support of the motion, highlighted the inhumanity of the murder of George Floyd and need to ensure that enforcement agents, such as the police were not regarded as being above the law. He hoped that those impacted by such events received justice, with the unrest recently witnessed in Nigeria provided as a further example and governments encouraged to condemn such acts of violence.
Councillor Maurice also expressed his support for the motion and pointed to the structural inequalities faced by Black people in Britain. He stressed the need to stamp out all forms of racism and ensure equality for all those living in the country.
In supporting the motion, Councillor Johnson highlighted the borough’s history in welcoming diverse cultures as celebrated through the London Borough of Culture programme. From his perspective, the approach to tackling deprivation, opportunity for education, employment, housing and wellbeing had been hampered by the treatment of Black and minority ethnic communities whether through institutional or individual racism. He expressed his pride in the Council for its steps to tackle racial inequality in the borough and to level the playing field for future generations.
Councillor Kansagra also expressed his support for the motion, whilst highlighting the need to recognise how tolerant and welcoming Britain was as a place to live when compared to many other counties across the world with justice usually served in cases of violence or discrimination.
Councillor Afzal took the opportunity to recognise and highlight the benefits arising from the level of the diversity across the borough. In outlining the responsibility to seek to reverse historical injustices he also highlighted and supported the Council’s commitment to tackling racial inequalities in health, housing, employment and education as well as individual racism.
Councillor Hassan recognised that the inequalities faced by Black people in Britain had been further highlighted by the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities and emphasised the need to tackle all aspects of racial inequality. She also spoke of her own experiences of racism and encouraged everyone to call racism out whenever it was experienced.
Councillor Mitchell-Murray also speaking in support of the motion highlighted the Windrush scandal as an ongoing example of the government’s inability to deal with the type of racism the Back community had and continued to experience.
Councillor Dixon, speaking of her experience as both a councillor and in working in the criminal justice system, noted the level of institutional racism present in society. She cited the work of community figures in the borough and Britain as a whole to encourage people (particularly those in more privileged positions) to reflect on the ways in which they may contribute to racial inequalities and to challenge these types of behaviours in order to ensure racism and discrimination were eradicated at all levels of society.
In supporting the motion, Councillor Thakkar pointed out the inaction of previous generations in tackling racial inequality. She spoke of her own experiences of racism as a child and how little she felt society had moved forward. She expressed her hope that the words of today did not turn into the inaction of tomorrow.
Echoing Councillor Mitchell-Murray’s sentiment regarding the Windrush scandal, Councillor Daly shared the experience of a deceased resident from the Windrush generation who had lived in her ward. In highlighting her support for the motion, she expressed her sadness that racism remained so pervasive within the country.
Councillor Chohan also expressed his support for the motion and his pride in the work that the Council was currently undertaking to tackle racial inequality in the borough. He also recognised the diversity of the borough and the efforts of residents to ensure different cultures could thrive across the borough.
As a final contribution to the debate, Councillor Sangani highlighted the importance of education in tackling racism with an emphasis on teaching children that all forms of racism were wrong.
As no other members had indicated they wished to speak the Mayor then invited Councillor McLennan, as Deputy Member and Lead Member for Resources to sum up and close the debate.
Councillor McLennan began by thanking Councillor Shahzad for bringing the motion forward for debate and all the contributions made by members during the debate. She expressed her pride at the Council’s recent work to tackle racial inequality in all its forms, including antisemitism and Islamophobia. She also highlighted and praised as an important step, the Black Community Action Plan developed by the Council in tackling the disproportionate racial inequality faced within the black community.
The Mayor thanked all members for their contributions and as an outcome of the debate it was unanimously RESOLVED to approve the motion as set out below:
“The Council Notes:
· Brent is the most diverse borough in London, with a long and proud tradition of celebrating diversity and welcoming people from all backgrounds and communities to live, learn and work here.
· Brent has the seventh highest Black community in London by numbers; with generations of unique stories of trial and unsung achievements.
· The murder of George Floyd in the United States of America has justifiably triggered global protests against institutional racism faced by Black people, including here in the United Kingdom.
· That alongside this monstrous act of police brutality, the world is looking on with growing alarm at the ongoing situation in Nigeria, in which peaceful protestors, campaigning for change – are being killed by security forces.
· That these global protests have come alongside all the inequalities faced by Black people, in the wake of the devastatingly disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities in Britain and other parts of the world.
· That it is clear that this impact has been made far worse by the structural inequalities Black people face when it comes to health, education and housing.
· The welcome commitment to embed equality and diversity in all the activities the council undertakes through the ten point Brent Black Community Action Plan.
This Council believes:
· That Black Lives Matter.
· That George Floyd’s murder must be a catalyst for permanent change both at home and overseas.
· That no institution can absolve itself of the responsibility to do more to tackle racial inequalities.
· That there is no place for racism, anti-Semitism, islamophobia or any form of xenophobia or bigotry anywhere in our democracy.
· That language is a powerful tool for inspiration and change, as well as oppression and ignorance and must be used wisely and respectfully.
· That it is vital all efforts are taken to understand the impact of Covid-19 on BAME communities in Brent and that we should work with all relevant stakeholders to mitigate the impact now and into the future.
This Council Resolves:
· To show continued leadership in the campaign to rid our city and world of racism.
· To continue working to achieve the ten point Brent Black Community Action Plan, which includes tackling health inequalities, developing community spaces that will be run and managed by members of the community and an internal review of processes in the council.
· That the work of elected representatives in this chamber must play a substantive and public role in ensuring racism and discrimination are challenged and eradicated at all levels.
· To continually seek the views of our diverse communities across Brent on the issues arising from the Black Lives Matter protests.
· To call on the government to fully uphold the protections contained in the Equality Act of 2010 and to implement the recommendations contained in the:
(i) Public Health England report into the disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on our BAME communities;
(ii) The Lammy report;
(iii) The Angiolini review;
(iv) The Home Office Windrush review;
(v) McGregor-Smith review.”
Supporting documents: