Meeting documents

To consider the following Notice of Motion submitted by the deadline of noon Thursday 21 March 2019.

The following Notice of Motion was submitted by Councillor K Ahmed and seconded by Councillor R Raja.

Wycombe District Council is proud of its diversity, which is a huge asset to our area. A substantial proportion of Wycombe’s residents are Muslim, over 14,000 according to the 2011 census, and they are an integral part of the area’s make-up, playing a huge role in all aspects of Wycombe district life. Wycombe district has a strong history of promoting cohesion and welcoming people from all over the world. Its residents have always united and supported each other in the fight against racism and discrimination in all its forms. This council is subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty, and with this in mind, to compliment this and further define our regard for an important but sometimes vulnerable community, I move that this Council welcomes, endorses and adopts the MEND definition of Islamophobia as follows:

"Islamophobia is a prejudice, aversion, hostility, or hatred towards Muslims and encompasses any distinction, exclusion, restriction, discrimination, or preference against Muslims that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life."

To consider the following Notices of Motion submitted by the deadline.

The following Notice of Motion was submitted by Councillor K Ahmed and seconded by Councillor R Raja.

Wycombe District Council is proud of its diversity, which is a huge asset to our area. A substantial proportion of Wycombe’s residents are Muslim, over 14,000 according to the 2011 census, and they are an integral part of the area’s make-up, playing a huge role in all aspects of Wycombe district life. Wycombe district has a strong history of promoting cohesion and welcoming people from all over the world. Its residents have always united and supported each other in the fight against racism and discrimination in all its forms. This council is subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty, and with this in mind, to compliment this and further define our regard for an important but sometimes vulnerable community, I move that this Council welcomes, endorses and adopts the MEND definition of Islamophobia as follows:

"Islamophobia is a prejudice, aversion, hostility, or hatred towards Muslims and encompasses any distinction, exclusion, restriction, discrimination, or preference against Muslims that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life."

Councillor Barnes proposed an amendment to the motion as follows:

Wycombe District Council is proud of the district’s its diversity, which is a huge asset to our area. A substantial proportion of Wycombe’s residents are Muslim, over 14,000 according to the 2011 census, and they are an integral part of the area’s make-up, playing a huge role in all aspects of Wycombe district life.

Wycombe district has a strong history of promoting cohesion and welcoming people from all over the world. Its residents have always united and supported each other in the fight against racism and discrimination in all its forms. This council is subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty, and with this in mind, to compliment this and further define our regard for an important but sometimes vulnerable community, I move that this Council welcomes, endorses and adopts the MEND definition of Islamophobia as follows:

"Islamophobia is a prejudice, aversion, hostility, or hatred towards Muslims and encompasses any distinction, exclusion, restriction, discrimination, or preference against Muslims that has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life."

this Council confirms that it takes seriously its responsibility under the act and works to eliminate all forms of prejudice including religious discrimination, harassment and victimisation as well as advancing equality of opportunity between persons regardless of their age; disability; gender; sexual orientation; race; religion or belief. We furthermore call on all the residents of the district to share and support these commitments.

This amendment was seconded by Councillor Saeed Saddique who remarked that the Council had to recognise and accept that unfortunately Islamophobia was prevalent and on the rise with anti-Muslim sentiments, with individuals and mosques being targeted. There was always a need to confront and condemn this wherever and however it appeared.

He added that Wycombe was a diverse and cohesive community which was an asset as well a great source of pride. It was both affirmative and positive that the Council were reinforcing and taking seriously the duty to not only to act against prejudices towards Islam but other religions too. Hate crime in any form, against any religion should not be tolerated and should be challenged accordingly.

Members discussed the amendment and made the following remarks and contributions to the debate:

·         The amendment extending the Council’s objection to prejudice against anyone, of which Muslims were undoubtedly an important group, was commendable;

·         There was a fear that without a specific definition of Islamophobia as in the original motion, members of the Muslim community would feel more marginalised and left behind than ever;

·         A Member outlined their confusion in respect of the original ‘definition’ motion in that the wording differed slightly from that adopted by Oxford City Council and promoted by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims. As a result the all-embracing amendment represented the best motion for the Council’s adoption;

·         A reported 60% increase in hate-crime since the Brexit referendum was noted, adoption of the amendment sent a strong signal of the Council’s abhorrence of any form of discrimination, its inclusion of the nine protected categories was commendable;

·         The original motion proposer Councillor K Ahmed explained that the APPG definition was far more wordy the original motion before the Council, which had represented a summarised usable definition;

·         An ex-Leader of the Council recalled her experiences in 2006 when High Wycombe was at the centre of a security operation in respect of terrorism, it was in standing together as a united community supporting one another that Wycombe had coped with that challenging period;

·         A Member expressed his fond memories of a childhood spent in a diverse playground, where prejudices had yet to develop (that being almost the exclusive preserve of adults), the amendment represented an opportunity to endorse and aspire to such a healthy and trusting environment again;

·         A Member in supporting the original ‘definition’ motion remarked on the unhelpfulness of racial remarks made by national political figures, the definitions adoption represented a means of allaying fears within the Muslim community, provoked as a result of such remarks.

A Member asked that a recorded vote be taken in respect of the amendment under Standing Order 16.7. However this was not supported by the required seven Members.

The amendment was put to the vote and it was:

RESOLVED: That the amendment to the motion as proposed by Councillor D Barnes and seconded by Councillor S Saddique featured above be agreed.

The amended motion then became the substantive motion, to which Members made the following remarks:

·         The adoption of the amended motion represented a statement in respect of the Council’s rejection of discrimination, however it was important that this was converted into actions. Consideration of the status of European Citizens and their protection from discrimination as we entered a post-Brexit world was to be considered;

·         The Chairman of the Improvement & Review Commission repeated his earlier encouragement of Member submissions of work programme items for the Commission, could not work on Equalities be amongst such; and

·         A Member remarked that the debate had shown that all Members present held a similar view in the rejection of discrimination and racism.

The amended motion now the substantive motion was put to the vote and it was:

RESOLVED: That the amended motion as proposed by Councillor D Barnes and seconded by Councillor S Saddique featured above be agreed.