Agenda item

Motions for which notice has been given are listed on the agenda in the order in which notice was received, unless the Member giving notice states, in writing, that they propose to move it at a later meeting or withdraw it.

If a Motion set out in the agenda is not moved by the Member who gave notice thereof it shall, unless postponed by consent of the Council, be treated as withdrawn and shall not be moved without fresh notice.

Up to 60 minutes is allowed for this part of the meeting unless extended by the Chairman of Council on a motion moved, duly seconded and approved by the Council. 

The Motions received are set out in the agenda papers.

In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 13, Councillor K Mills moved the Motion of which he had given notice as followed:

“This Council Meeting notes that

·         ONS figures show that almost one in three women aged 16-59 will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, that two women a week in England and Wales are killed by a current or former partner, that over half a million women are raped or sexually assaulted each year and that a YouGov poll shows that a third of girls have experienced sexual harassment in schools;

·         the global pandemic has led to more women and girls being vulnerable to domestic abuse and, according to a BBC news report last July, the initial three months of the first national lockdown saw an 80% increase in calls to the National Domestic Abuse Hotline;

·         that, according to crime-survey and other government data, victims disproportionately come from those groups which already experience inequality and additional challenges in our society, including those who are mixed-race, have disabilities, or are transgender; and

·         as we reflect on the end of the delayed EUFA Euro 2020 tournament, previous research by Lancaster University showed that reported domestic abuse incidents increase whenever any of the home nations play in a major tournament, and the effect is particularly large on the days when those teams lose.

This Council Meeting further notes that

• White Ribbon UK is the leading charity with a mission to end male violence against women and part of the global White Ribbon movement which arose from a campaign started by men in Canada in 2004;
• they mark White Ribbon Day annually on 25th November, the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women, by encouraging men and boys to pledge never to take part in, condone or stay silent about violence against women and to make this by wearing a white ribbon on the day and a week or two afterwards; and
• White Ribbon UK operate a system of male Ambassadors, female Champions and Youth Advocates, as well as having specific materials to support primary and secondary schools, all with the aim of encouraging men to take the pledge and help to eradicate male violence against women.
• This Council Meeting believes male violence against women can never be condoned and Dover District Council should do everything in its power to ensure women are safe.  As part of this, the council should facilitate and encourage participation by councillors, staff and schools in the White Ribbon Campaign.

This Council Meeting therefore resolves to

• encourage all male Councillors to take the White Ribbon pledge, never to take part in, condone or stay silent about violence against women;
• undertake as soon as practicable the steps necessary to achieve White Ribbon accreditation, joining the large number of public sector bodies which have already done so; and
• as part of this, appoint a male Councillor as an Ambassador; mark White Ribbon Day on 25th November each year with a fundraising event; and encourage participation among council staff and local primary and secondary schools.”

The Motion was duly seconded by Councillor C D Zosseder.

Councillor S S Chandler moved an AMENDMENT to replace the word “appoint” with “invite” and delete the word ‘fundraising’ in the final paragraph so as to read:

“as part of this, invite a male Councillor as an Ambassador; mark White Ribbon Day on 25th November each year with an event; and encourage participation among council staff and local primary and secondary schools”

The mover of the original Motion, Councillor K Mills, with the support of his seconder agreed to accept the suggested amendment.

On being put to the meeting, it was

RESOLVED: “This Council Meeting notes that

·         ONS figures show that almost one in three women aged 16-59 will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime, that two women a week in England and Wales are killed by a current or former partner, that over half a million women are raped or sexually assaulted each year and that a YouGov poll shows that a third of girls have experienced sexual harassment in schools;

·         the global pandemic has led to more women and girls being vulnerable to domestic abuse and, according to a BBC news report last July, the initial three months of the first national lockdown saw an 80% increase in calls to the National Domestic Abuse Hotline;

·         that, according to crime-survey and other government data, victims disproportionately come from those groups which already experience inequality and additional challenges in our society, including those who are mixed-race, have disabilities, or are transgender; and

·         as we reflect on the end of the delayed EUFA Euro 2020 tournament, previous research by Lancaster University showed that reported domestic abuse incidents increase whenever any of the home nations play in a major tournament, and the effect is particularly large on the days when those teams lose.

This Council Meeting further notes that

• White Ribbon UK is the leading charity with a mission to end male violence against women and part of the global White Ribbon movement which arose from a campaign started by men in Canada in 2004;
• they mark White Ribbon Day annually on 25th November, the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women, by encouraging men and boys to pledge never to take part in, condone or stay silent about violence against women and to make this by wearing a white ribbon on the day and a week or two afterwards; and
• White Ribbon UK operate a system of male Ambassadors, female Champions and Youth Advocates, as well as having specific materials to support primary and secondary schools, all with the aim of encouraging men to take the pledge and help to eradicate male violence against women.
• This Council Meeting believes male violence against women can never be condoned and Dover District Council should do everything in its power to ensure women are safe.  As part of this, the council should facilitate and encourage participation by councillors, staff and schools in the White Ribbon Campaign.

This Council Meeting therefore resolves to

• encourage all male Councillors to take the White Ribbon pledge, never to take part in, condone or stay silent about violence against women;
• undertake as soon as practicable the steps necessary to achieve White Ribbon accreditation, joining the large number of public sector bodies which have already done so; and
• as part of this, invite a male Councillor as an Ambassador; mark White Ribbon Day on 25th November each year with an event; and encourage participation among council staff and local primary and secondary schools.”

(Councillor S C Manion declared an Other Significant Interest (OSI) in the Minute No. 50 (Motions) due to his company being a supporter of the White Ribbon campaign and he withdrew from the meeting for the consideration of this item of business.)