(time limit 30 minutes)
Councillor Chadderton to MOVE and Councillor Ur-Rehman to SECOND:
Black Lives Matter
This council notes with great sadness the murder of George Floyd in the United States, and the hurt and anger made more visible as a consequence. Racism and racial inequality remain shameful aspects of our lives in Oldham as elsewhere and must be confronted.
In recent weeks Greater Manchester has seen Desmond Ziggy Mombeyarara tasered in front of his small child when stopped by police for a driving offence, and the collapse of a police misconduct trial after Greater Manchester Police declined to submit any evidence against the officer who shot Anthony Grainger through the chest as he sat in his car. A judge last year found GMP to be entirely to blame for Mr Grainger’s death.
This council notes that since 1991 there have been more than 1,500 deaths in police custody or following police contact in the UK, but no police officers have been found guilty of murder or manslaughter related to any of them. Meanwhile, as highlighted by the Lammy review, disproportionality in the criminal justice system remains significant. Looking at just one metric, black people were searched by GMP at nearly seven times the rate of white people using stop and search powers in 2018/19.
This council resolves to:
Minutes:
Black Lives Matter
Councillor Chadderton MOVED and Councillor Ur-Rehman SECONDED the following MOTION:
“This council notes with great sadness the murder of George Floyd in the United States and the hurt and anger made more visible as a consequence. Racism and racial inequality remain shameful aspects of our lives in Oldham as elsewhere and must be confronted.
In recent weeks Greater Manchester has seen Desmond Ziggy Mombeyarara tasered in front of his small child when stopped by police for a driving offence, and the collapse of a police misconduct trial after Greater Manchester Police declined to submit any evidence against the officer who shot Anthony Grainger through the chest as he sat in his car. A judge last year found GMP to be entirely to blame for Mr. Grainger’s death.
This council notes that since 1991 there have been more than 1,500 deaths in police custody or following police contact in the UK, but not police officers have been found guilty of murder or manslaughter related to any of them. Meanwhile, as highlighted by the Lammy review, disproportionality in the criminal justice system remains significant. Looking at just one metric, black people were searched by GMP at nearly seven times the rate of white people using stop and search powers in 2018/19.
This Council resolves to:
· Produce a new Equalities Strategy, setting out how it will make the council a more equal organisation and make Oldham a fairer place in which to live, work and feel safe.
· Request the Chief Executive writes to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, reaffirming our support for the creation of a GM Race Equality Panel and for the publication of a quarterly Race Equality Policing Report.
Councillor C. Gloster spoke on the motion and raised a point of order with regard to the wording in the report.
Councillor Mushtaq spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Taylor spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Shah spoke in support of the Motion.
Councillor Al-Hamdani spoke in support of the Motion
Councillor Chadderton exercised her right of reply. In responding, Councillor Chadderton altered the wording of the motion.
Councillor C. Gloster made a personal statement.
The ALTERED MOTION:
“This council notes with great sadness the murder of George Floyd in the United States, and the hurt and anger made more visible as a consequence. Racism and racial inequality remain shameful aspects of our lives in Oldham as elsewhere and must be confronted.
In recent weeks Greater Manchester has seen Desmond Ziggy Mombeyarara tasered in front of his small child when stopped by police for a driving offence, and the collapse of a police misconduct trial after Greater Manchester Police declined to submit any evidence against former Assistant Chief Constable Steven Heywood after Anthony Grainger was shot through the chest as he sat in a car. A judge last year found GMP to be entirely to blame for Mr Grainger’s death.
This council notes that since 1991 there have been more than 1,500 deaths in police custody or following police contact in the UK, but no police officers have been found guilty of murder or manslaughter related to any of them. Meanwhile, as highlighted by the Lammy review, disproportionality in the criminal justice system remains significant. Looking at just one metric, black people were searched by GMP at nearly seven times the rate of white people using stop and search powers in 2018/19.
This council resolves to:
· Produce a new Equalities Strategy, setting out how it will make the council a more equal organisation and make Oldham a fairer place in which to live, work and feel safe
· Request that the Chief Executive writes to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, reaffirming our support for the creation of a GM Race Equality Panel and for the publication of a quarterly Race Equality Policing Report.”
On being put to the vote, 51 votes were cast in FAVOUR of the MOTION as AMENDED and 0 votes were cast AGAINST with 1 ABSTENTION. The MOTION as AMENDED was therefore CARRIED.
RESOLVED that:
1. A new Equalities Strategy be produced setting out how it will make the Council a more equal organisation and make Oldham a fairer place in which to live, work and feel safe.
2. The Chief Executive be requested to write to the Mayor of Greater Manchester, reaffirming our support for the creation of a GM Race Equality Panel and for the publication of a quarterly Race Equality Policing Report.
NOTE: Councillor Garry declared a pecuniary interest in this item. Councillor Garry left the meeting during the item and took no part in the discussion or vote thereon.