To consider motions of which notice has been submitted by Members in accordance with Part 4, Council Procedure Rules, Paragraph 11 of the Constitution
(a) To consider the following notice of motion from Councillor Walker
“This Council joins residents in North Devon in opposing Vladimir Putin’s barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
This Council applauds the efforts already made by North Devon residents on behalf of Ukraine through holding vigils, raising money, donating goods and offering accommodation to Ukrainian refugees.
This Council therefore resolves to:
1. Where possible to offer the help and assistance to Ukrainian refugees that they require during this heart-breaking period.
2. Support, promote and work in partnership with local charitable, community and religious organizations that are working to provide resources and assistance for those affected and displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.
3. Through press releases, thank those who have made generous offers of accommodation to Ukrainian refugees within their homes.
4. Ask the County Council to work with our local school community to urgently find placement for school age children seeking refuge in North Devon.
5. Support any Russian citizens in our area who are opposed to the violence and terror being wrought on Ukraine by a regime they do not support.
6. Promote opportunities to support organisations working on the ground in Ukraine to provide humanitarian aid and shelter – such as the British Red Cross, Unicef and the UN Refugee Council.
7. Ask our Member of Parliament to raise with the Home Office the difficulty children, who don’t have a passport, are currently experiencing at the UK border.
This Council also recognises it has a role to play to ensure Russian political and financial interests are not promoted in any of its activities and investments.
This Council therefore further resolves to:
1. Immediately request a report from Devon Audit Partnership, the Councils internal auditors, on the investments our Council’s Pension Fund currently has in Russian companies and organisations. Where these investments still exist, Council calls on the Pension Fund to make immediate arrangements to divest any shares in Russian companies.
2. Write to the Home Office to give North Devon support to stricter sanctions on the Russian regime – and in particular to extend sanctions against Russian oligarchs with ties to Putin’s regime to fully block their access to financial operations in the UK.
This Council also resolves to ask all Group Leaders to sign a joint letter to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary calling on the UK Government to match words with action and :
1. Offer sanctuary to Ukrainian people in their hour of need without having to go through a prolonged visa application process.
2. End our dependence on Russian energy as quickly as possible and fast-track the transition to renewable energy sources.
3. Impose the severest economic, financial, technical and cultural sanctions on the Russia state.”
Minutes:
Councillor Walker presented her notice of motion to Council as amended as follows:
(i) Removal of paragraph 1 as this work had already been completed by the Devon Audit Partnership
(ii) Removal of paragraph 5 as the Council had a responsibility to support all citizens
(iii) Amendment to paragraph 2 to replace “Home Office” with “Foreign Office”
It was moved by Councillor Walker and seconded by Councillor Lofthouse “that the notice of motion as amended be adopted”.
The Chief Executive advised that the Council was already working on providing support to Ukraine Refugees in partnership with other Devon Local Authorities as part of Team Devon. The Council was also working with third parties such as Pickwell Foundation and Sunrise to ensure that the placements were successful and they were provided with appropriate support. If a placement failed, refugees would present themselves to the Council as being homeless and requiring emergency accommodation. A review of the Devon County Council’s Pension Fund had already been carried out and only 0.15% of the Pension Fund was linked to Russian involvement and the Fund was looking at ways to reduce this percentage even further.
RESOLVED that the Council:
(a) Where possible to offer the help and assistance to Ukrainian refugees that they require during this heart-breaking period.
(b) Support, promote and work in partnership with local charitable, community and religious organizations that are working to provide resources and assistance for those affected and displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.
(c) Through press releases, thank those who have made generous offers of accommodation to Ukrainian refugees within their homes.
(d) Ask the County Council to work with our local school community to urgently find placement for school age children seeking refuge in North Devon.
(e) Promote opportunities to support organisations working on the ground in Ukraine to provide humanitarian aid and shelter – such as the British Red Cross, Unicef and the UN Refugee Council.
(f) Ask our Member of Parliament to raise with the Home Office the difficulty children, who don’t have a passport, are currently experiencing at the UK border.
(g) Write to the Foreign Office to give North Devon support to stricter sanctions on the Russian regime – and in particular to extend sanctions against Russian oligarchs with ties to Putin’s regime to fully block their access to financial operations in the UK.
(h) Ask all Group Leaders to sign a joint letter to the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary calling on the UK Government to match words with action and:
a. Offer sanctuary to Ukrainian people in their hour of need without having to go through a prolonged visa application process.
b. End our dependence on Russian energy as quickly as possible and fast-track the transition to renewable energy sources.
c. Impose the severest economic, financial, technical and cultural sanctions on the Russia state.