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

 

         Supporting the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill

        

         Council notes that:

1.          The CEE Bill Alliance, made up of scientists, lawyers and activists, tabled a Private Members Bill in Parliament on 2^nd September 2020;

a)          The bill has the potential to become the most significant move forward since the Climate Change Act 2008;

b)          88 MPs have so far supported the bill, with co-sponsors from across the political spectrum including Labour, Liberal Democrat and Greens;

c)           The bill sets an emergency path for the UK to follow, including the creation of a Citizens’ Assembly, ensuring the UK plays its fair and proper role in limiting global temperatures to 1.5°C and actively conserving the natural world.

2.          Watford Borough Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019 and committed to becoming a climate neutral council by 2030, since taking actions including:

a)          Establishing a sustainability forum to work with key communities and businesses in the borough;

b)          Working to provide alternative and sustainable modes of transport for residents;

c)           Leading by example to reduce waste in the council and the borough more generally;

d)          Creating biodiversity in council-owned assets.

        

         Council believes that:

1.          All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of climate and ecological breakdown;

2.          Local governments should not wait for their national governments to change their policies;

3.          Towns, cities and local authorities are uniquely placed to lead in tackling the climate and ecological emergency due to the close links with their residents;

4.          The Climate and Ecological Bill deserves the support of the government as it reassesses the urgency of the twin climate and ecological emergencies.

        

         Council therefore resolves to:

1.          Declare an ‘Ecological Emergency’ alongside the Climate Emergency it has already declared;

2.          Work with partners locally and regionally to drive coordinated leadership and collaborative action to aid the recovery of nature and natural environments and identify areas for habitat restoration;

3.          Lead by example and promote the good work the Council is currently and will in future be doing;

4.          Publicly support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill;

5.          Ask the Mayor to write to our MP to urge him to sign up to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

 

2.      The following motion has been proposed by Councillor Collett and seconded by Councillor Stiff.

 

Tracking Stalkers and Domestic Abusers

 

Council notes that:

 

·             Stalking and domestic abuse are crimes which are insidious and terrifying, the majority committed by men against women. Offenders go from victim to victim, yet many remain undetected and unconvicted.

 

·             The evidence shows that domestic abuse has become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Some stalkers and domestic abusers go on to commit murder, and tragically the domestic homicide rate, mostly of women, continues to increase.

 

·             Despite clear warning signs that such crimes are often repeated and follow a pattern, much offending behaviour remains undetected by the Police, probation and other agencies, and offenders are left at large.

 

·             Although the provisions of the Domestic Abuse Bill now before Parliament are welcome, the Bill is manifestly deficient in not addressing the importance of robustly tracking and apprehending these offenders.

 

Council further notes that:

 

·             Whilst the Domestic Abuse Bill would place Clare’s Law (the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme) on a statutory footing, this will place the onus upon victims to come forward to seek information about their partner or a family member and this can sometimes place the victim in danger.

 

·             There is no duty on police services to identify, track and manage stalkers and domestic abusers.

 

Council believes that:

 

·             It is imperative that serial stalkers and domestic abusers are prioritised and proactively identified, assessed and managed by Police, probation and other relevant agencies, so that intelligence can be shared about their offending behaviour to hold them to account and close down their behaviour.

      

·             The details of stalkers and domestic abusers should be included on the Violent and Sexual Offender’s Register and managed via the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.

 

         Council resolves to ask the Mayor to write to the Home Secretary asking her to make these changes to more effectively track and apprehend stalkers and domestic abusers, and to copy in our local Member of Parliament asking him to make representations to the Home Secretary in support of the Council’s position.

Council was informed that two motions had been received.

 

Motion 1

 

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Williams and seconded by Councillor Stotesbury:

 

“Supporting the Climate and Ecological Emergency (CEE) Bill

 

Council notes that:

1.          The CEE Bill Alliance, made up of scientists, lawyers and activists, tabled a Private Members Bill in Parliament on 2nd September 2020 ;

a)          The bill has the potential to become the most significant move forward since the Climate Change Act 2008;

b)         88 MPs have so far supported the bill, with co-sponsors from across the political spectrum including Labour, Liberal Democrat and Greens;

c)          The bill sets an emergency path for the UK to follow, including the creation of a Citizens’ Assembly, ensuring the UK plays its fair and proper role in limiting global temperatures to 1.5°C and actively conserving the natural world.

 

2.          Watford Borough Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019 and committed to becoming a climate neutral council by 2030, since taking actions including:

a)          Establishing a sustainability forum to work with key communities and businesses in the borough;

b)         Working to provide alternative and sustainable modes of transport for residents;

c)          Leading by example to reduce waste in the council and the borough more generally;

d)         Creating biodiversity in council-owned assets.

 

Council believes that:

1.          All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of climate and ecological breakdown;

2.          Local governments should not wait for their national governments to change their policies;

3.          Towns, cities and local authorities are uniquely placed to lead in tackling the climate and ecological emergency due to the close links with their residents;

4.          The Climate and Ecological Bill deserves the support of the government as it reassesses the urgency of the twin climate and ecological emergencies.

 

Council therefore resolves to:

1.          Declare an ‘Ecological Emergency’ alongside the Climate Emergency it has already declared;

2.          Work with partners locally and regionally to drive coordinated leadership and collaborative action to aid the recovery of nature and natural environments and identify areas for habitat restoration;

3.          Lead by example and promote the good work the Council is currently and will in future be doing;

4.          Publicly support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill;

5.          Ask the Mayor to write to our MP to urge him to sign up to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.”

 

RESOLVED –

 

Council notes that:

1.          The CEE Bill Alliance, made up of scientists, lawyers and activists, tabled a Private Members Bill in Parliament on 2nd September 2020 ;

a)          The bill has the potential to become the most significant move forward since the Climate Change Act 2008;

b)         88 MPs have so far supported the bill, with co-sponsors from across the political spectrum including Labour, Liberal Democrat and Greens;

c)          The bill sets an emergency path for the UK to follow, including the creation of a Citizens’ Assembly, ensuring the UK plays its fair and proper role in limiting global temperatures to 1.5°C and actively conserving the natural world.

 

2.          Watford Borough Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019 and committed to becoming a climate neutral council by 2030, since taking actions including:

a)          Establishing a sustainability forum to work with key communities and businesses in the borough;

b)         Working to provide alternative and sustainable modes of transport for residents;

c)          Leading by example to reduce waste in the council and the borough more generally;

d)         Creating biodiversity in council-owned assets.

 

Council believes that:

1.          All governments (national, regional and local) have a duty to limit the negative impacts of climate and ecological breakdown;

2.          Local governments should not wait for their national governments to change their policies;

3.          Towns, cities and local authorities are uniquely placed to lead in tackling the climate and ecological emergency due to the close links with their residents;

4.          The Climate and Ecological Bill deserves the support of the government as it reassesses the urgency of the twin climate and ecological emergencies.

 

Council therefore resolves to:

1.          Declare an ‘Ecological Emergency’ alongside the Climate Emergency it has already declared;

2.          Work with partners locally and regionally to drive coordinated leadership and collaborative action to aid the recovery of nature and natural environments and identify areas for habitat restoration;

3.          Lead by example and promote the good work the Council is currently and will in future be doing;

4.          Publicly support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill;

5.          Ask the Mayor to write to our MP to urge him to sign up to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill.

 

Motion 2       

            

The following motion was proposed by Councillor Collett and seconded by Councillor Stiff:

 

“Tracking Stalkers and Domestic Abusers

 

Council notes that:

 

•           Stalking and domestic abuse are crimes which are insidious and terrifying, the majority committed by men against women. Offenders go from victim to victim, yet many remain undetected and unconvicted.

 

•           The evidence shows that domestic abuse has become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Some stalkers and domestic abusers go on to commit murder, and tragically the domestic homicide rate, mostly of women, continues to increase.

 

•           Despite clear warning signs that such crimes are often repeated and follow a pattern, much offending behaviour remains undetected by the Police, probation and other agencies, and offenders are left at large.

 

•           Although the provisions of the Domestic Abuse Bill now before Parliament are welcome, the Bill is manifestly deficient in not addressing the importance of robustly tracking and apprehending these offenders.

 

Council further notes that:

 

•           Whilst the Domestic Abuse Bill would place Clare’s Law (the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme) on a statutory footing, this will place the onus upon victims to come forward to seek information about their partner or a family member and this can sometimes place the victim in danger.

 

•           There is no duty on police services to identify, track and manage stalkers and domestic abusers.

 

Council believes that:

 

•           It is imperative that serial stalkers and domestic abusers are prioritised and proactively identified, assessed and managed by Police, probation and other relevant agencies, so that intelligence can be shared about their offending behaviour to hold them to account and close down their behaviour.

 

•           The details of stalkers and domestic abusers should be included on the Violent and Sexual Offender’s Register and managed via the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.

 

Council resolves to ask the Mayor to write to the Home Secretary asking her to make these changes to more effectively track and apprehend stalkers and domestic abusers, and to copy in our local Member of Parliament asking him to make representations to the Home Secretary in support of the Council’s position.”

 

RESOLVED –

            

Council notes that:

 

•           Stalking and domestic abuse are crimes which are insidious and terrifying, the majority committed by men against women. Offenders go from victim to victim, yet many remain undetected and unconvicted.

 

•           The evidence shows that domestic abuse has become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. Some stalkers and domestic abusers go on to commit murder, and tragically the domestic homicide rate, mostly of women, continues to increase.

 

•           Despite clear warning signs that such crimes are often repeated and follow a pattern, much offending behaviour remains undetected by the Police, probation and other agencies, and offenders are left at large.

 

•           Although the provisions of the Domestic Abuse Bill now before Parliament are welcome, the Bill is manifestly deficient in not addressing the importance of robustly tracking and apprehending these offenders.

 

Council further notes that:

 

•           Whilst the Domestic Abuse Bill would place Clare’s Law (the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme) on a statutory footing, this will place the onus upon victims to come forward to seek information about their partner or a family member and this can sometimes place the victim in danger.

 

•           There is no duty on police services to identify, track and manage stalkers and domestic abusers.

 

Council believes that:

 

•           It is imperative that serial stalkers and domestic abusers are prioritised and proactively identified, assessed and managed by Police, probation and other relevant agencies, so that intelligence can be shared about their offending behaviour to hold them to account and close down their behaviour.

 

•           The details of stalkers and domestic abusers should be included on the Violent and Sexual Offender’s Register and managed via the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements.

 

Council resolves to ask the Mayor to write to the Home Secretary asking her to make these changes to more effectively track and apprehend stalkers and domestic abusers, and to copy in our local Member of Parliament asking him to make representations to the Home Secretary in support of the Council’s position.