Agenda item

Motion to Full Council: Standing United Against Racism and Division

The following motion submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 10 of the Meeting Procedure Rules has been proposed by Councillor P Cooper and seconded by Councillor P Canavan.

Council notes:

·       Recent far-right marches in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that seek to spread hatred, fear, and division.

·       An increase in racist vandalism and graffiti which desecrate our communities and cost taxpayers thousands of pounds to remove.

·       The rising tide of racist activity nationally, which is being exploited for political purposes to divide communities.

Council recognises:

·       The invaluable work of anti-racist organisations, community groups, and residents who stand in solidarity against racism and bigotry.

·       The efforts of Dorset Police in managing demonstrations and addressing hate crimes in a challenging climate.

·       That racism, in any form, undermines cohesion, community safety, and the reputation of BCP as a welcoming, inclusive place.

Council believes:

·       That racist rhetoric, graffiti, and intimidation have no place in our communities.

·       That public resources should be directed towards supporting communities and improving services, not wasted on cleaning up hate-fuelled vandalism.

·       That BCP Council must show leadership in building unity, trust, and mutual respect across all communities.

Council therefore resolves to:

1.    Publicly denounce far-right marches and racist graffiti in BCP, affirming that hate has no home here.

2.    Develop and bring forward anti-racist policies, in partnership with schools, community groups, and faith organisations, to promote inclusion and challenge prejudice.

3.    Strengthen joint working with Dorset Police, community safety teams, and voluntary organisations to tackle racist activity and support victims.

4.    Recognise and thank the work of anti-racist groups and campaigners who stand against division and for equality.

5.    Request that the Leader of the Council writes to the Home Secretary and the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, calling for stronger national support and resources to tackle the rise in far-right activity and hate crime.

Motion to Full Council: Opposing Labour’s Digital ID Scheme

The following motion submitted in accordance with Procedure Rule 10 of the Meeting Procedure Rules has been proposed by Councillor M Earl and seconded by Councillor R Herrett.

Council notes the recent announcement by Keir Starmer’s Labour Government of plans to introduce a mandatory Digital ID scheme for all UK residents.

Council further notes that the Government’s plan:

• Could require every resident to obtain a Digital ID to access public services and entitlements;
• Could risk criminalising millions of people, particularly older people, those on lower incomes, or those without access to digital technology;
• Raises significant privacy and civil liberties concerns; 
• Could result in an estimated £4.6 billion of pounds of taxpayers’ money being wasted on a massive IT project, with no clear benefit or safeguards.

Council believes that Labour’s scheme:

• Represents an expensive measure that will undermine public trust;
• Will do nothing to address the real priorities facing communities such as the lack of economic growth that our country is facing, the cost-of-living crisis that residents in Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole are experiencing, or the problems within public services that have been refused the investment that they need to deliver;
• Fails to protect our core British values of liberty, privacy and fairness.

Council welcomes the Liberal Democrats’ consistent national opposition to Labour’s ID cards, having previously defeated Labour’s original plans for ID cards in 2010, and opposes Labour’s renewed attempt to impose them in digital form.

Council resolves:

• To formally oppose the Labour Government’s Digital ID plans;

• To request the Leader of the Council writes to:

• To work with local voluntary, digital inclusion and civil liberties groups to ensure that no resident in Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole is penalised or excluded as a result of any national identification scheme.