a) Great Jobs Agenda
Proposed by the City Mayor, seconded by the Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clair:
This Council believes that:
“Every job should be a great job. For us that means workers in our city should be paid fairly; work in a safe and healthy workplace; be treated decently and with respect; have regular hours; have the chance to be represented by unions and be consulted on what matters at work; and get the chance to learn and progress at work and get on in life.
This Council resolves to:
1. Support the TUC’s Great Jobs Agenda, which sets out the actions employers and the government must take for every job to be a great job.
2. Ensure as an employer we continue providing great jobs for our own employees.
3. Continue to value meaningful workforce engagement and representation through our recognised trade unions.
4. Continue our work with employers in the city to influence their employment practices, and to ensure that business growth is sustainable and ethical. This includes our proactive ongoing work with the textiles sector as a good example.
5. Make increasing job quality a key part of the conversation when pursuing local economic development opportunities in the city.
6. Use our commissioning and procurement processes where possible to raise employment standards amongst those suppliers and providers we work with.
7. Where appropriate, engage with government and other bodies who hold regulatory powers, to tackle issues which local authorities do not have statutory powers to address directly.
8. Write to our city MPs informing them of our position and encouraging them to support the Great Jobs Agenda too.”
b) Windrush Generation
Proposed by Councillor Cole, seconded by the Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clair:
“Leicester City Council agrees to support The Windrush Generation in their struggle to –
We call on the Government to grant an amnesty for all those who are a part of The Windrush Generation yet don’t have documentary evidence of citizenship.”
c) Community Cohesion & Hate Crime
Proposed by Councillor Rae Bhatia, seconded by Councillor Waddington:
“Hate doesn't spare or choose who it is targeted at. One thing it certainly does - it destroys lives - of those who are its victims, and also, in some ways of those who perpetrate it. The communities of all faiths and beliefs have been victims of hate or race related crimes in one way or another. Recent incidents in Leicester and across the country have seen hate acts being done in all directions. This is completely and utterly unacceptable.
Leicester City Council therefore resolves to –
1. Affirm its commitment to total social harmony.
2. Protect the rights of all our communities that make up our wonderful city of Leicester.
3. Redouble our efforts to ensure fairness for all and work to eliminate hate from our communities.
4. Encourage those who encounter hate crime to come forward and report it to the Police and/or the Council.
5. Support further opportunities for people to come together and celebrate the diversity of the City.
6. Remind all other organisations and institutions of the part they have to play in supporting community cohesion and combating hate crime.
We pledge our solidarity with the people of Leicester and will work with all who are able to support and help us in maintaining Leicester as a safe and secure place for everyone to live in and thrive in.”
Minutes:
11.1 GREAT JOBS AGENDA
Moved by The City Mayor, seconded by Deputy City Mayor Councillor Clair and carried:
11. “Every job should be a great job. For us that means workers in our city should be paid fairly; work in a safe and healthy workplace; be treated decently and with respect; have regular hours; have the chance to be represented by unions and be consulted on what matters at work; and get the chance to learn and progress at work and get on in life.”
This Council resolves to:
1. Support the TUC’s Great Jobs Agenda, which sets out the actions employers and the government must take for every job to be a great job.
2. Ensure as an employer we continue providing great jobs for our own employees.
3. Continue to value meaningful workforce engagement and representation through our recognised trade unions.
4. Continue our work with employers in the city to influence their employment practices, and to ensure that business growth is sustainable and ethical. This includes our proactive ongoing work with the textiles sector as a good example.
5. Make increasing job quality a key part of the conversation when pursuing local economic development opportunities in the city.
6. Use our commissioning and procurement processes where possible to raise employment standards amongst those suppliers and providers we work with.
7. Where appropriate, engage with government and other bodies who hold regulatory powers, to tackle issues which local authorities do not have statutory powers to address directly.
8. Write to our city MPs informing them of our position and encouraging them to support the Great Jobs Agenda too.”
11.2 WINDRUSH GENERATION
Moved by Councillor Cole, seconded by Councillor Sangster and carried:
12. “Leicester City Council agrees to support The Windrush Generation in their struggle to –
1. Secure their rights to indefinite stay in Britain as citizens of the United Kingdom (UK).
2. Demand that the government restores the rights of those who have been deported or refused re-entry to the United Kingdom following a visit overseas.
3. Compensate them for losses incurred during their period of difficulties caused by the Home Office.
4. Get for the Windrush Generation, who went to live in the Caribbean, the right to return and settle in the UK if that is their desire and to be able to travel freely between the UK and the Caribbean without the need for a costly visa.
5. Restore their rights to work, receive services and benefits, to which they are entitled, and be able to move around the country freely like all other United Kingdom citizen.
We call on the Government to grant an amnesty for all those who are a part of The Windrush Generation yet don’t have documentary evidence of citizenship.”
11.3 COMMUNITY COHESION & HATE CRIME
Under Council Procedure Rule 18c Councillor Riyait and the Councillor Waddington as proposers and seconders of the motion sought the consent of Council to amend the motion previously detailed on the agenda for the meeting to the following text:-
“Hate doesn't spare or choose who it damages. One thing it certainly does - it destroys lives - of those who are its victims, and also, in some ways of those who perpetrate it. The communities of all faiths and beliefs have been victims of hate or race related crimes in one way or another.
The recent incident in Leicester where Paul Moore was convicted of the attempted murder of a Muslim woman, Zaynab Hussein for simply wearing the Hijab highlighted the unacceptable rise of Islamophobia, has compelled us to bring this motion to show our revulsion of such acts of hate and show that the racists will never divide us.
Leicester City Council therefore resolves to –
1. Affirm its commitment to total social harmony.
2. Protect the rights of all our communities that make up our wonderful city of Leicester.
3. Redouble our efforts to ensure fairness for all and work to eliminate hate from our communities.
4. Encourage those who encounter hate crime to come forward and report it to the Police and/or the Council.
5. Support further opportunities for people to come together and celebrate the diversity of the City.
6. Remind all other organisations and institutions of the part they have to play in supporting community cohesion and combating hate crime.
7. With partners prepare and consult upon an action plan to combat hate crime and promote community cohesion, which will include challenging Islamophobia and prejudice in all its forms and promoting positive images of groups vulnerable to stigmatisation by mainstream media.
We pledge our solidarity with the people of Leicester and will work with all who are able to support and help us in maintaining Leicester as a safe and secure place for everyone to live in and thrive in.”
The Lord Mayor put the amended motion to the vote and declared it carried.
There followed a debate.
The Lord Mayor put the amended motion (ie incorporating the amendment as accepted by Council) to the vote and declared it carried.
13. “Hate doesn't spare or choose who it damages. One thing it certainly does - it destroys lives - of those who are its victims, and also, in some ways of those who perpetrate it. The communities of all faiths and beliefs have been victims of hate or race related crimes in one way or another.
The recent incident in Leicester where Paul Moore was convicted of the attempted murder of a Muslim woman, Zaynab Hussein for simply wearing the Hijab highlighted the unacceptable rise of Islamophobia, has compelled us to bring this motion to show our revulsion of such acts of hate and show that the racists will never divide us.
Leicester City Council therefore resolves to –
1. Affirm its commitment to total social harmony.
2. Protect the rights of all our communities that make up our wonderful city of Leicester.
3. Redouble our efforts to ensure fairness for all and work to eliminate hate from our communities.
4. Encourage those who encounter hate crime to come forward and report it to the Police and/or the Council.
5. Support further opportunities for people to come together and celebrate the diversity of the City.
6. Remind all other organisations and institutions of the part they have to play in supporting community cohesion and combating hate crime.
7. With partners prepare and consult upon an action plan to combat hate crime and promote community cohesion, which will include challenging Islamophobia and prejudice in all its forms and promoting positive images of groups vulnerable to stigmatisation by mainstream media.
We pledge our solidarity with the people of Leicester and will work with all who are able to support and help us in maintaining Leicester as a safe and secure place for everyone to live in and thrive in.”