Issue - meetings

Governance, Audit and Standards Committee

18 March 2024

The Committee updated from the Officer and Member Task and Finish Groups recommendations having considered the Local Government Association (LGA) ‘Debate Not Hate’ Campaign objectives in more detail.

On 11 October 2023 a Motion was brought to full Council by Councillor MacRae to sign up to the LGA ‘Debate Not Hate’ campaign.  Council referred the Motion to Governance, Audit and Standards Committee to work with Officers to get a better understanding of what signing up to the LGA  ‘Debate Not Hate’ Campaign would mean and to explore the range of support currently available to deal with Member abuse and intimidation and to consider what further support could be developed.

It was proposed by Councillor S J Carr and seconded by Councillor S Paterson that there be a recorded vote that the vote be recorded.  The votes were cast as follows:

RECOMMENDED to Council that

2. The Council commits to the following:

a. To signing up to the ‘Debate Not Hate’ campaign

b. To take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse to Councillors and Officers

c. To write to the Government to ask them to work with the LGA to develop and implement a plan to address abuse and intimidation of politicians and to legislate that Councillors can withhold their home addresses to ensure parity with MPs.

d. To work together, across the political groups to promote and uphold exemplary standards public and political debate

e. To improve the reporting mechanism to record and monitor incidents of harassment and abuse for Councillors facing intimidation and abuse

f. To regularly review the support available for Councillors and Officers who are experiencing intimidation and abuse

g. To work with the local police to ensure there is a clear and joined-up mechanism for reporting threats and other concerns about the safety of Councillors and their families

h. To include as part of the Member training programme support available and relevant training to Councillors in relation to abuse and intimidation and Councillor safety.

On 11 October 2023 a Motion was brought to full Council by Councillor R D MacRae to sign up to the LGA ‘Debate Not Hate’ campaign. Council referred the Motion to Governance, Audit and Standards Committee to work with Officers to get a better understanding of what signing up to the LGA ‘Debate Not Hate’ Campaign would mean and to explore the range of support currently available to deal with Member abuse and intimidation and to consider what further support could be developed.

It was considered that the motion was necessary as Members were in need of mechanisms to be able to explore the range of support available to deal with abuse and intimidation against Councillors.

RESOLVED that the Council commits to the following:

a.               To signing up to the ‘Debate Not Hate’ campaign

b.       To take a zero-tolerance approach to Councillors and Officers

c.       To write to the Government to ask them to work with the LGA to develop and implement a plan to address abuse and intimidation of politicians and to legislate that Councillors can withhold their home addresses to ensure parity with MPs

d.       To work together, across the political groups to promote and uphold exemplary standards of public and political debate

e.       To improve the reporting mechanism to record and monitor incidents of harassment and abuse for Councillors facing intimidation and abuse e. To regularly review the support available for Councillors and Officers who are experiencing intimidation and abuse

f.        To work with the local police to ensure there is a clear and joined-up mechanism for reporting threats and other concerns about the safety of Councillors and their families

g.       To include as part of the Member training programme support available and relevant training to Councillors in relation to abuse and intimidation and Councillor safety.

To report back the Officer and Member Task and Finish Groups recommendations having considered the Local Government Association (LGA) ‘Debate Not Hate’ Campaign objectives in more detail.

The Committeed the updated from the Officer and Member Task and Finish Groups recommendations having considered the Local Government Association (LGA) ‘Debate Not Hate’ Campaign objectives in more detail.

On 11 October 2023 a Motion was brought to full Council by Councillor MacRae to sign up to the LGA ‘Debate Not Hate’ campaign.  Council referred the Motion to Governance, Audit and Standards Committee to work with Officers to get a better understanding of what signing up to the LGA  ‘Debate Not Hate’ Campaign would mean and to explore the range of support currently available to deal with Member abuse and intimidation and to consider what further support could be developed.

It was proposed by Councillor S J Carr and seconded by Councillor S Paterson that there be a recorded vote that the vote be recorded.  The votes were cast as follows:

RECOMMENDED  to Council that

2. The Council commits to the following:

a. To signing up to the ‘Debate Not Hate’ campaign

b. To take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse to Councillors and Officers

c. To write to the Government to ask them to work with the LGA to develop and implement a plan to address abuse and intimidation of politicians and to legislate that Councillors can withhold their home addresses to ensure parity with MPs.

d. To work together, across the political groups to promote and uphold exemplary standards public and political debate

e. To improve the reporting mechanism to record and monitor incidents of harassment and abuse for Councillors facing intimidation and abuse

f. To regularly review the support available for Councillors and Officers who are experiencing intimidation and abuse

g. To work with the local police to ensure there is a clear and joined-up mechanism for reporting threats and other concerns about the safety of Councillors and their families

h. To include as part of the Member training programme support available and relevant training to Councillors in relation to abuse and intimidation and Councillor safety.