To receive questions from members of the public who may wish to ask a general question of the Mayor, Cabinet Member or the Chairman of a Committee in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 12.
Minutes:
There were 4 questions:
1.
Mr Ashraf - Can Council Leader Chris Read explain how Community
Cohesion is served and the Equality Act followed, by him and other
political speakers acquiescing to the Holocaust Memorial Day
Trust's demand, selectively barring them from publicly condemning
all Genocides including the live-streamed Genocide, recognised as
such by the International Court of Justice and still continuing in
Gaza and Palestine?
The Leader stated that Holocaust Memorial Day was first and
foremost the designated day for remembering Jewish victims of the
Holocaust. However, this did not mean that other genocides were not
remembered. The Leader quoted the Chief Rabbi and said that
honouring Jewish victims of genocide did not diminish compassion
for others; it enlarged it because collective memory was not a
finite resource. The lesson of the Holocaust was not that Jewish
suffering mattered more, but that Jewish suffering mattered at all.
When Jews were dehumanised and attacked, it was a sign that society
was experiencing a fundamental moral malaise.
The Leader urged Mr Ashraf not to put the situation in Gaza into
competition with Jewish Holocaust. The Leader had condemned the
tragedies in the Middle East and would continue to do so but it was
unhelpful to put the two situations in conflict.
In his supplementary question, Mr Ashraf stated that the Holocaust
Memorial Day Trust disagreed with what the Leader had said. He
asked the Leader to commit to condemning all holocausts and
genocides at any future public functions without equivocation. Mr
Ashraf stated that he asked questions to advocate for a cause that
he believed was righteous and to ask for the law to be applied
equally to all without fear or favour.
The Leader stated that he and the Council condemned human rights
violations whenever they happened. He reiterated that Holocaust
Memorial Day was a particular day to remember a particular tragedy
and a particular group of victims. It was vital to be conscious of
the Jewish suffering during the Second World War which had shaped
Europe subsequently. The Leader again condemned human rights
violations in the Middle East.
2. Mr Cowles - As Leader of RMBC, what action did you take following the email sent to you on 25th July 2018 with the attachment labelled as:
D2 Evidenced dishonesty involving RMBC officers and commissioners (Part 1 30.6.17)
As Mr Cowles was unable to attend the meeting, a written response
would be provided.
3.
Mr Shepherd - What were the reasons for not distributing the 1400
copies of ‘Voices of Despair, Voices of Hope’ purchased
at a cost of £5600?
As Mr Shepherd was unable to attend the meeting, a written response
would be provided.
4. “T” - What action, if any, did you take as Leader of RMBC in response to this statement in Section 6 of the RMBC Briefing Note re D2 Evidenced dishonesty dated 16.12.20
“The council has never explained how the decision was reached
to not distribute the publication Voices Of Despair, Voices Of
Hope.”
As T was unable to attend the meeting, a written response would be
provided.