NOTICE OF MOTION – MOTION FOR EAST SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE CITY OF SANCTUARY LOCAL AUTHORITY NETWORK.

MOTION WORDING

This motion calls on East Sussex County Council to declare that we understand the important role it plays in welcoming people who are fleeing violence and persecution by offering them safety and sanctuary and therefore resolves to adopt these Core Principles:

1. All asylum seekers, refugees and migrants should be treated with dignity and respect.

2. A fair and effective process to decide whether people need protection should be in place.

3. No one should be locked up indefinitely.

4. No one should be left sick or destitute in our society.

5. We should welcome the stranger and help them to integrate

This motion calls on East Sussex County Council to commit to applying to become a member of the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network, with the aim of becoming a recognized Council of Sanctuary.

Becoming recognised as a County Council of Sanctuary involves the following:

- developing a strategic place-based approach to supporting new arrivals to integrate and rebuild their lives

- building on existing partnerships across public and voluntary sectors providers to enable development of a wholistic offer of support

- engaging with people with lived experience to ensure that services meet the needs to people seeking sanctuary

This motion further calls on East Sussex County Council to join the Migrant Champions Network and appoints a councillor to act as a Migrant Champion. That this councillor is recognised within our Council as an advocate for migrant constituents, and for migrants' rights issues within the local council and beyond.

Further information on the Migrant Councillor Network is available here https://www.migrantchampionsnetwork.org/

MOTION BACKGROUND INFORMATION

This summer saw some of the worst riots in a generation on the streets of the UK. Using disinformation about the horrific murders of children in Southport, the far right spread hatred and fear mobilising many to come on to our streets causing frightening scenes of violence across the country.

Here in East Sussex threats were made to Mosques in Hastings and Peacehaven. And here in East Sussex, as in towns and cities across the country, our wonderful communities came out in force to defend and protect those under threat with demonstrations of solidarity, support and love.

It is important that we as a council join our communities in declaring, with them, that there is no place in our County for separation and hatred. But that we are committed to supporting all refugee and migrant communities who have fled violence and persecution and have been offered safety and sanctuary in our County.

This motion calls on East Sussex County Council to declare that we support the initiative to make East Sussex a recognised ‘County of Sanctuary’.

Background to City of Sanctuary UK

City of Sanctuary UK is a charitable organisation that provides a focus for coordination and development of a network of groups that are focused on bringing about both local and national social change. It started in Sheffield in 2007 and now involves over nearly 70 Local Authorities alongside Cities and Towns and Counties.

In December 2020, the City of Sanctuary Local Authority Network was launched. Its aims are to support the development of a network of local authorities that are working towards the City of Sanctuary vision; and to promote the embedding of a culture and practice of welcome in local authorities to support the City of Sanctuary theory of change.

COS Theory of Change 10-1-20.indd (cityofsanctuary.org)

Local Authority Council of Sanctuary Network Principles:

• Offer a positive vision of a culture of welcome and hospitality to all;

• Create opportunities for relationships of friendship and solidarity between local people and those seeking sanctuary;

• Recognise and encourage partnership working and network development across localities;

• Identify opportunities for practical action and work on common cause issues to effect change within and across communities (turning empathy into action);

• Celebrate and promote the welcome and contribution of people seeking sanctuary;

• Engage people seeking sanctuary in decision making processes at all levels and in all activities;

• Promote understanding of asylum and refugee issues, especially by enabling sanctuary seekers voices to be heard directly.