1.     The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Stotesbury and seconded by Councillor Bell

“Man-made climate change is the biggest threat that humanity faces. In 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report states that we have just 12 years to act on climate change if global temperatures rises are to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degrees celsius.

 

All governments whether national, regional or local have a duty to limit the negative impacts on climate change and need to commit to aggressive reduction targets and carbon neutrality as quickly as possible.

 

Watford Borough Council has a pivotal role to play in tackling climate change and enabling sustainable living. 

 

We recognise the importance of tackling climate change both in the terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimise future global climate change and planning for the unavoidable local impacts of climate change.

 

Therefore Watford Borough Council approves the following:-

 

1)     Join other Councils in recognising and declaring a climate emergency

2)     Pledge to do everything within the Council’s power to make the whole of Watford carbon neutral by 2030

3)     Within this develop an ambitious sustainability strategy for reducing the Council’s own emissions, with an objective that the Council becomes carbon neutral by 2030

4)     Use all planning regulations and the Local Plan to cut carbon emissions and reduce the impact on the environment

5)     Call on national government for more powers and resources to make this pledge possible, and ask the Elected Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to this effect

6)     Continue to work with partners across the borough, county and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans

7)     Take account of climate impacts within existing decision making processes

8)     Report back to Council, via the newly established Sustainability Forum, on an action plan to address the climate emergency, and then every six months after this an update on progress being made. The proposed action plan to be on the agenda of the Sustainability Forum to be held 3^rd October 2019

9)     Dedicate enough staff and budget to achieve these aims, including the most appropriate training for members and officers to promote carbon neutral polices and to achieve these aims”

 

 

 

2. The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Bashir, seconded by Councillor Bell

“Watford Borough Council is proud of its rich diversity and inclusivity. We see this as an asset and a source of great strength. Watford is home to thousands of Muslims, some who have been in the town for over half a century while others have come more recently. Watford has an honourable history of promoting cohesion and welcoming people from all over the world, most recently refugees from Syria.

Its residents have always united and supported each other in the fight against any form of racism and discrimination in all its forms.

This Council therefore welcomes, endorses and adopts the working All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) definition of Islamophobia, including all of its examples in full cited as follows:

"ISLAMOPHOBIA IS ROOTED IN RACISM AND IS A TYPE OF RACISM THAT TARGETS EXPRESSIONS OF MUSLIMNESS OR PERCEIVED MUSLIMNESS."

Contemporary examples of Islamophobia in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in encounters between religions and non-religions in the public sphere could, considering the overall context, include, but are not limited to:

• Calling for, aiding, instigating or justifying the killing or harming of Muslims in the name of a racist/fascist ideology, or an extremist view of religion.

• Making mendacious, dehumanising, demonising, or stereotypical allegations about Muslims as such, or of Muslims as a collective group, such as, especially but not exclusively, conspiracies about Muslim entryism in politics, government or other societal institutions; the myth of Muslim identity having a unique propensity for terrorism and claims of a demographic ‘threat’ posed by Muslims or of a ‘Muslim takeover’.

• Accusing Muslims as a group of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Muslim person or group of Muslim individuals, or even for acts committed by non-Muslims.

• Accusing Muslims as a group, or Muslim majority states, of inventing or exaggerating Islamophobia, ethnic cleansing or genocide perpetrated against Muslims.

• Accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the ‘Ummah’ (transnational Muslim community) or to their countries of origin, or to the alleged priorities of Muslims worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

• Denying Muslim populations, the right to self-determination e.g., by claiming that the existence of an independent Palestine or Kashmir is a terrorist endeavour.

• Applying double standards by requiring of Muslims behaviours that are not expected or demanded of any other groups in society, eg loyalty tests.

• Using the symbols and images associated with classic Islamophobia.

• Holding Muslims collectively responsible for the actions of any Muslim majority state, whether secular or constitutionally Islamic.

This Council asks the Executive member to:

1.       Continue to prioritise tackling hate crime and Islamophobia in partnership. Watford Borough Council works with partners, especially Hertfordshire Constabulary, on a rolling basis, and will now coordinate future actions in line with this definition of Islamophobia for all Muslims.

2.       Continue to promote the rich diversity of our town.

3.       Work with all stakeholders to listen to their concerns and develop policies that will continue to ensure we live in a vibrant and inclusive town.”

 

Council was informed that two motions had been received.

 

Motion 1

 

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Stotesbury and seconded by Councillor Bell.

 

“Man-made climate change is the biggest threat that humanity faces. In 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report states that we have just 12 years to act on climate change if global temperatures rises are to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

 

All governments whether national, regional or local have a duty to limit the negative impacts on climate change and need to commit to aggressive reduction targets and carbon neutrality as quickly as possible. 

 

Watford Borough Council has a pivotal role to play in tackling climate change and enabling sustainable living. 

 

We recognise the importance of tackling climate change both in the terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimise future global climate change and planning for the unavoidable local impacts of climate change. 

 

Therefore Watford Borough Council approves the following:-

 

1)      Join other Councils in recognising and declaring a climate emergency

2)      Pledge to do everything within the Council’s power to make the whole of Watford carbon neutral by 2030

3)      Within this develop an ambitious sustainability strategy for reducing the Council’s own emissions, with an objective that the Council becomes carbon neutral by 2030

4)      Use all planning regulations and the Local Plan to cut carbon emissions and reduce the impact on the environment

5)      Call on national government for more powers and resources to make this pledge possible, and ask the Elected Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to this effect

6)      Continue to work with partners across the borough, county and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans

7)      Take account of climate impacts within existing decision making processes

8)      Report back to Council, via the newly established Sustainability Forum, on an action plan to address the climate emergency, and then every six months after this an update on progress being made. The proposed action plan to be on the agenda of the Sustainability Forum to be held 3rd October 2019

9)      Dedicate enough staff and budget to achieve these aims, including the most appropriate training for members and officers to promote carbon neutral polices and to achieve these aims”

 

Members debated the motion.

 

On being put to council the motion was AGREED.

 

RESOLVED –

 

Man-made climate change is the biggest threat that humanity faces. In 2018 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report states that we have just 12 years to act on climate change if global temperatures rises are to be kept within the recommended 1.5 degrees Celsius. 

 

All governments whether national, regional or local have a duty to limit the negative impacts on climate change and need to commit to aggressive reduction targets and carbon neutrality as quickly as possible. 

 

Watford Borough Council has a pivotal role to play in tackling climate change and enabling sustainable living. 

 

We recognise the importance of tackling climate change both in the terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimise future global climate change and planning for the unavoidable local impacts of climate change. 

 

Therefore Watford Borough Council approves the following:-

 

1)      Join other Councils in recognising and declaring a climate emergency

2)      Pledge to do everything within the Council’s power to make the whole of Watford carbon neutral by 2030

3)      Within this develop an ambitious sustainability strategy for reducing the Council’s own emissions, with an objective that the Council becomes carbon neutral by 2030

4)      Use all planning regulations and the Local Plan to cut carbon emissions and reduce the impact on the environment

5)      Call on national government for more powers and resources to make this pledge possible, and ask the Elected Mayor to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to this effect

6)      Continue to work with partners across the borough, county and region to deliver this new goal through all relevant strategies and plans

7)      Take account of climate impacts within existing decision making processes

8)      Report back to Council, via the newly established Sustainability Forum, on an action plan to address the climate emergency, and then every six months after this an update on progress being made. The proposed action plan to be on the agenda of the Sustainability Forum to be held 3rd October 2019

9)      Dedicate enough staff and budget to achieve these aims, including the most appropriate training for members and officers to promote carbon neutral polices and to achieve these aims

 

Motion 2

 

The following motion was moved by Councillor Bashir and seconded by Councillor Bell

 

“Watford Borough Council is proud of its rich diversity and inclusivity. We see this as an asset and a source of great strength. Watford is home to thousands of Muslims, some who have been in the town for over half a century while others have come more recently.  Watford has an honourable history of promoting cohesion and welcoming people from all over the world, most recently refugees from Syria.

 

Its residents have always united and supported each other in the fight against any form of racism and discrimination in all its forms.

 

This Council therefore welcomes, endorses and adopts the working All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) definition of Islamophobia, including all of its examples in full cited as follows:

 

‘ISLAMOPHOBIA IS ROOTED IN RACISM AND IS A TYPE OF RACISM THAT TARGETS EXPRESSIONS OF MUSLIMNESS OR PERCEIVED MUSLIMNESS.’

 

Contemporary examples of Islamophobia in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in encounters between religions and non-religions in the public sphere could, considering the overall context, include, but are not limited to:

 

·             Calling for, aiding, instigating or justifying the killing or harming of Muslims in the name of a racist/fascist ideology, or an extremist view of religion.

 

·             Making mendacious, dehumanising, demonising, or stereotypical allegations about Muslims as such, or of Muslims as a collective group, such as, especially but not exclusively, conspiracies about Muslim entryism in politics, government or other societal institutions; the myth of Muslim identity having a unique propensity for terrorism and claims of a demographic ‘threat’ posed by Muslims or of a ‘Muslim takeover’.

 

·             Accusing Muslims as a group of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Muslim person or group of Muslim individuals, or even for acts committed by non-Muslims.  

 

·             Accusing Muslims as a group, or Muslim majority states, of inventing or exaggerating Islamophobia, ethnic cleansing or genocide perpetrated against Muslims.

 

·             Accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the ‘Ummah’ (transnational Muslim community) or to their countries of origin, or to the alleged priorities of Muslims worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

 

·             Denying Muslim populations, the right to self-determination e.g., by claiming that the existence of an independent Palestine or Kashmir is a terrorist endeavour.

 

·             Applying double standards by requiring of Muslims behaviours that are not expected or demanded of any other groups in society, eg loyalty tests.

 

·             Using the symbols and images associated with classic Islamophobia.

 

·             Holding Muslims collectively responsible for the actions of any Muslim majority state, whether secular or constitutionally Islamic.

 

This Council asks the Executive member to:

 

1.      Continue to prioritise tackling hate crime and Islamophobia in partnership.  Watford Borough Council works with partners, especially Hertfordshire Constabulary, on a rolling basis, and will now coordinate future actions in line with this definition of Islamophobia for all Muslims.

2.      Continue to promote the rich diversity of our town.

3.      Work with all stakeholders to listen to their concerns and develop policies that will continue to ensure we live in a vibrant and inclusive town.”

 

Members debated the motion.

 

On being put to Council the motion was AGREED.

 

RESOLVED –

 

Watford Borough Council is proud of its rich diversity and inclusivity. We see this as an asset and a source of great strength. Watford is home to thousands of Muslims, some who have been in the town for over half a century while others have come more recently.  Watford has an honourable history of promoting cohesion and welcoming people from all over the world, most recently refugees from Syria.

 

Its residents have always united and supported each other in the fight against any form of racism and discrimination in all its forms.

 

This Council therefore welcomes, endorses and adopts the working All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) definition of Islamophobia, including all of its examples in full cited as follows:

 

‘ISLAMOPHOBIA IS ROOTED IN RACISM AND IS A TYPE OF RACISM THAT TARGETS EXPRESSIONS OF MUSLIMNESS OR PERCEIVED MUSLIMNESS.’

 

Contemporary examples of Islamophobia in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in encounters between religions and non-religions in the public sphere could, considering the overall context, include, but are not limited to:

 

·             Calling for, aiding, instigating or justifying the killing or harming of Muslims in the name of a racist/fascist ideology, or an extremist view of religion.

 

·             Making mendacious, dehumanising, demonising, or stereotypical allegations about Muslims as such, or of Muslims as a collective group, such as, especially but not exclusively, conspiracies about Muslim entryism in politics, government or other societal institutions; the myth of Muslim identity having a unique propensity for terrorism and claims of a demographic ‘threat’ posed by Muslims or of a ‘Muslim takeover’.

 

·             Accusing Muslims as a group of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Muslim person or group of Muslim individuals, or even for acts committed by non-Muslims. 

 

·             Accusing Muslims as a group, or Muslim majority states, of inventing or exaggerating Islamophobia, ethnic cleansing or genocide perpetrated against Muslims.

 

·             Accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the ‘Ummah’ (transnational Muslim community) or to their countries of origin, or to the alleged priorities of Muslims worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

 

·             Denying Muslim populations, the right to self-determination e.g., by claiming that the existence of an independent Palestine or Kashmir is a terrorist endeavour.

 

·             Applying double standards by requiring of Muslims behaviours that are not expected or demanded of any other groups in society, eg loyalty tests.

 

·             Using the symbols and images associated with classic Islamophobia.

 

·             Holding Muslims collectively responsible for the actions of any Muslim majority state, whether secular or constitutionally Islamic.

 

This Council asks the Executive member to:

 

1.      Continue to prioritise tackling hate crime and Islamophobia in partnership.  Watford Borough Council works with partners, especially Hertfordshire Constabulary, on a rolling basis, and will now coordinate future actions in line with this definition of Islamophobia for all Muslims.

2.      Continue to promote the rich diversity of our town.

3.      Work with all stakeholders to listen to their concerns and develop policies that will continue to ensure we live in a vibrant and inclusive town.