Agenda
West Dunbartonshire Council · 29 November 2023
Back to West Dunbartonshire Council — 29 November 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Agenda Requisitioned Meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council Date: Wednesday, 29 November 2023 Time: 18:00 Format: Hybrid meeting Contact: Carol-Ann Burns Email: carol-ann.burns@west-dunbarton.gov.uk committee.admin@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Dear Member Please attend a requisitioned meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council as detailed above. Members will have the option to attend the meeting remotely or in person at the Civic Space, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton. The business is shown on the attached agenda. Yours faithfully PETER HESSETT Chief Executive
Page 2
Distribution:- Provost Douglas McAllister Councillor Michelle McGinty Councillor James Bollan Councillor June McKay Councillor Karen Murray Conaghan Councillor John Millar Councillor Ian Dickson Councillor Lawrence O’Neill Councillor Diane Docherty Councillor Lauren Oxley Councillor Craig Edward Councillor Chris Pollock Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal Councillor Martin Rooney Councillor Daniel Lennie Councillor Gordon Scanlan Councillor David McBride Councillor Hazel Sorrell Councillor Jonathan McColl Councillor Clare Steel Councillor James McElhill Councillor Sophie Traynor Chief Executive Chief Officers Date of issue: 21 November 2023 Audio Streaming Audio recordings of the meeting (including the attendance or contribution of any party participating or making a contribution) will be published on the Council’s website and the Council’s host’s webcast/audio stream platform. You should be aware that the Council is a Data Controller under the General Data Protection Regulation. Data collected during this audio stream will be retained in accordance with the Council’s Privacy Notice* and Retention Schedules including, but not limited to, for the purpose of keeping historical records and making those records available via the Council’s internet site.
Page 3
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL WEDNESDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2023 AGENDA 1 STATEMENT BY CHAIR – AUDIO STREAMING 2 APOLOGIES 3 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Members are invited to declare if they have an interest in any of the items of business on the agenda and the reasons for such declarations. 4 RECORDING OF VOTES The Council is asked to agree that all votes taken during the meeting will be done by roll call vote to ensure an accurate record. 5 ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT In terms of Standing Order No.3(b) Councillors Diane Docherty, Jonathan McColl, Lauren Oxley, Chris Pollock, Gordon Scanlan and Sophie Traynor have submitted the following:- We the undersigned request that a requisitioned meeting be called to debate the following motion: West Dunbartonshire Council supports the United Nations Secretary General’s calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. West Dunbartonshire Council condemns in the strongest possible terms the atrocities committed by Hamas on, before and after October 7th. However, there can be no justification for war crimes, the suffering of innocent Palestinian civilians every day due to hostile actions must stop. 6/
Page 4
6 URGENT ITEM OF BUSINESS In terms of Standing Order No.8 Councillor Martin Rooney has submitted a motion relating to an urgent item of business for the Council to consider which has been accepted by Provost Douglas McAllister. Motion by Councillor Martin Rooney – Israel-Gaza War Ceasefire West Dunbartonshire Council unequivocally condemns in the strongest possible terms Hamas’s barbaric and unjustifiable terrorist attacks against Israeli citizens on 7 October 2023 and therefore: Demands the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages; Agrees that all human life is equal, Abhors the loss of innocent lives, and Affirms the right of all Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security; The Council also agrees that: The killing of innocent civilians in Gaza, including women and children who have been besieged by Israeli forces, must stop; We associate ourselves with the United Nations Secretary-General’s statements that there must be an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to allow civilians to escape harm, for hostages to be released, for humanitarian aid to reach those in need, and affirming that international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, must be upheld; We reiterate our solidarity with Scotland’s Jewish, Muslim, and Palestinian communities and condemns antisemitism, Islamophobia or any other form of hatred; We welcome the Scottish Government’s contribution of £750,000 towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East’s flash appeal for Gaza, and the humanitarian assistance announced by the UK Government; We reaffirm that a credible, lasting and sustainable peace can only be based on the two-state solution through reinvigorated diplomatic and political efforts in the Middle East Peace Process, and agrees with many in the international community that all parties must agree to an immediate ceasefire. Furthermore, the Council recognises that in order for any ceasefire to work, it requires all sides to comply. Council is horrified by Hamas statement that they would repeat the October 7th attacks and continue rocket fire; Council regrets that Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that he will not even consider a ceasefire; Council therefore calls on the international community to use every form of diplomacy to try and create the conditions on the ground to make a ceasefire a reality.
Page 5
Finally West Dunbartonshire Council calls on the International Criminal Court to investigate the conduct of all parties in this conflict; and reaffirms our commitment to a lasting peace and a two state solution with the end of illegal occupation, siege, and settlements. In addition, the Council calls on the Chief Executive to write to the UK Government expressing our concerns and enclosing a copy of this motion.