Issue - meetings

Councillor Willmott submits a report informing the Cabinet of the implications of a proposed national march in Leicester by members of the National Front.  The Cabinet is asked to note the legal powers and duties by which the Chief Constable may instigate a prohibition order on a march and to give delegated authority to the Town Clerk to consider and, if it is deemed appropriate, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader, make an order, with the consent of the Secretary of State, to prohibit the National Front march, or any other associated march, on or around 21 April, as soon as it is required by the Chief Constable.  The Cabinet is also asked to consider any further action including whether representations should be made the Secretary of State in advance of his consent to a Prohibition Order being possibly requested.

Councillor Willmott submitted a report informing the Cabinet of the implications of a proposed march by the National Front in Leicester.

The Cabinet noted the legal framework which existed to address marches which were likely or may lead to a significant threat to public order and although the City Council had a role in this process, it was only after such action had been initiated by the Chief Constable.

It was reported that the Chief Constable was giving the matter considerable thought and consulting a cross section of the City’s community before forming a view.

The Cabinet acknowledged the difficulties associated with this issue; on the one hand, the views expressed by the National Front were considered a direct affront to all the City holds dear and as such there is no desire to see the National Front in Leicester in any way shape or form; on the other hand there were also fundamental issues of freedom of speech, expression and assembly which the Council also supported. These two competing issues needed to be balanced and it was noted that the Cabinet’s view was that the good of the City outweighed the rights of those who threaten it.

A number of Members amplified this view commenting that the good work to foster racial harmony in the city would be harmed if the march were to go ahead.

RESOLVED:

(1) that the legal powers and duties by which the Chief Constable may instigate a prohibition order on a march be noted;

(2)that authority be delegated to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Leader and Deputy Leader, to make an Order, with the consent of the Secretary of State, to prohibit the National Front march, or any other associated march, on or around 21^st April 2001 as soon as it is required by the Chief Constable;

(3)that a letter be sent to the Secretary of State making the views of the Council clear on this issue, and so that if a prohibition order is requested by the Chief Constable the Secretary of State is already clear on the Council’s views; and

(4)that a formal statement be widely published with the support of community leaders across the City reaffirming the position of the City Council in order that the National Front can be fully clear as to the views of community leaders across the City and through them the views of the majority of Leicester’s citizens.