Decision details

RESOLVED: That Council:

(1)   At the discretion of all current members, remove councillor addresses from the Councillor directory (but maintain the entry in the Declaration of Pecuniary Interests until such time as legislative change is effected);

(2)   Adopt the default position that councillors opt in, rather than opt out, of having their addresses published on the Councillor Directory;

(3)   Write to the local Members of Parliament to ask them to support the LGA’s Debate Not Hate campaign;

(4)   Write to the Government to ask them to work with the LGA to develop and implement a plan to address abuse and intimidation of all politicians;

(5)   Work with MPs and the LGA to bring about legislative change giving councillors and their families the same protection as MPs;

(6)   Ensure the council has a clear reporting mechanism which councillors can use to monitor and record incidents of harassment and abuse of councillors, officers, staff and contractors;

(7)   Regularly review the support available to councillors in relation to abuse and intimidation and councillor safety;

(8)   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 and discuss the need to take a preventative approach that accounts for the specific risks that councillors face, as they do with other high-risk individuals, like MPs;

(9)   Take a zero-tolerance approach to abuse of councillors, officers, staff and contractors working was us. Where such occurs, this Council will robustly condemn acts of intimidation and violence against our staff, contractors and councillors.