Agenda item

To receive an update on Council Motion 469 which was considered at the November 2021 Council meeting and subsequently referred to the Equalities Working Group to examine the benefits of the actions set out in the motion.

RECOMMENDATION: That Council note the update and agree the recommendations of the Equalities Working Group as follows:

1)               Council explore how it can improve communications to residents on what it is doing to support domestic violence victims;

2)               Council Officers explore whether there is a more comprehensive accreditation to certify at which level the Council is performing when it comes to domestic violence provision;

3)               The Leader of the Council to write to the Home Secretary in support of making public sexual harassment a specific offence and impress the need for wider cultural change and write to the four MPs that cover Wokingham Borough and PCC to encourage them to also support this;

4)               The Executive Member for Children's Services to write to local schools on how they're upholding the Department for Education's September 2021 ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ policy on public sexual harassment.

The Council considered a report which referred to Motion 469, submitted to the November 2021 meeting by David Hare. The Motion proposed that the Council seek White Ribbon Accreditation, promote the Our Streets Now campaign to make street harassment of women a crime and ask schools, academies and colleges to develop clear policies and education to prevent public sexual harassment.

At the November Council meeting, the Motion was referred to the cross-party Equalities Working Group for consideration and a report back to full Council. The report stated that the Equalities Working Group had met on 6 January 2022 and agreed a number of recommendations which were set out in the report.

It was proposed by Laura Blumenthal and seconded by Shahid Younis that Recommendation 2) in the report be amended by adding the following words:

“…and provide a report on their findings to a meeting of the Executive”.

Upon being put to the vote, the proposed amendment was carried.

It was proposed by Sarah Kerr and seconded by Rachel Burgess that the recommendations in the report be amended as follows:

“Recommendation

That Council note the update and agree the recommendations of the Equalities Working Group and the revisions (in bold) below:

1)     Council explore how it can improve communications to residents on what it is doing to support domestic violence victims and how it is taking action to bring about the culture change required to end male violence against women;

2)     Council Officers explore whether there is a more comprehensive accreditation to certify at which level the Council is performing when it comes to domestic violence provision and provide a report on their findings to a meeting of the Executive;

3)     Council will also seek White Ribbon Accreditation for the organisation in the next 6 months which goes well beyond domestic violence and works to eliminate ALL male violence against women;

4)     the Leader of the Council write to the Home Secretary in support of making public sexual harassment a specific offence and impress the need for wider cultural change, and write to the four MPs that cover Wokingham Borough and the PCC to encourage them to also support this and lobby ministers;

5)     the Executive Member for Children’s Services write to local schools on how they are upholding the Department for Education’s September 2021 “Keeping Children Safe in Education” policy on public sexual harassment and to ask them, if they haven’t already, to develop a clear policy on it separate to their bullying policy and ask them to include education to prevent public sexual harassment as part of their PSHE education.”

Councillor Kerr stated that the recommendations in the report relating to tackling domestic violence were welcomed and supported. However, in her view, they did not address the wider cultural issue of tackling male violence against women and girls.

It was proposed by Laura Blumenthal and seconded by Pauline Jorgensen that the meeting be adjourned for 10 minutes to enable Members to consider Sarah Kerr’s amendment.

Upon being put to the vote the proposed 10 minute adjournment was agreed.

On the resumption of the meeting, Laura Blumenthal confirmed that she did not accept the proposed amendment.

Upon being put to the vote, voting on the amendment was as follows:

The Mayor declared that the proposed amendment was lost.

It was proposed by Laura Blumenthal and seconded by Shahid Younis that the recommendations in the report, as amended, be approved.

Upon being put to the vote, the voting was as follows:

RESOLVED That:

1)     Council explore how it can improve communications to residents on what it is doing to support domestic violence victims;

2)     Council Officers explore whether there is a more comprehensive accreditation to certify at which level the Council is performing when it comes to domestic violence provision and provide a report on their findings to a meeting of the Executive;

3)     the Leader of the Council write to the Home Secretary in support of making public sexual harassment a specific offence and impress the need for wider cultural change, and write to the four MPs that cover Wokingham Borough and the PCC to encourage them to also support this;

4)     the Executive Member for Children’s Services write to local schools on how they are upholding the Department for Education’s September 2021 “Keeping Children Safe in Education” policy on public sexual harassment.