Agenda and minutes

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The Lord Mayor welcomed all attendees to the meeting..

Apologies for absence were heard from Councillors Abraham, Bradshaw, Mike Davies and Wright.

To note any declarations of interest from the Councillors.  They are asked to indicate the relevant agenda item, the nature of the interest and in particular whether it is a disclosable pecuniary interest.

Any declarations of interest made at the meeting which is not on the register of interests should be notified to the Monitoring Officer for inclusion.

There were none.

Public Forum (Public Petitions, Statements and Questions)

Public forum business is permitted for this Extraordinary Full Council meeting provided that it relates to the business for which the meeting has been arranged (ie the items on the meeting agenda). 

Submissions will be treated in order of receipt and as many people shall be called upon as is possible within the time allowed within the meeting (normally 30 minutes).

Further rules can be found within our Council Procedure Rules and Virtual Meeting Procedure Rules within the Constitution.

Please note that the following deadlines apply to this meeting:

a. Public petitions and statements: Petitions and written statements

must be received by 12 noon on Monday 1st March 2021 at latest.  One written statement per member of the public is permitted.

b. Public questions: Written public questions must be received by 5pm on Wednesday 24^th February 2021 at latest. A maximum of 2 questions per member of the public is permitted. Questions should be addressed to the Mayor or relevant Cabinet Member.

c. Members of the public who wish to present their public forum in person during the video conference must register their interest by giving at least two clear working days notice prior to the meeting by midday on Thursday 25^th February 2021.

Public forum items should be e-mailed to democratic.services@bristol.gov.uk

Public petitions:

There were none.

Public statements:

The Full Council received and noted the following statements (which were also referred to the Mayor for his consideration/information):

Statements PS08 and PS28 were presented by individuals present at the meeting.

Public Questions:

There were none.

Motion received:

 Atonement and Reparation for Bristol’s role in the Transatlantic Traffic in Enslaved Afrikans (TTEA) 

Differences in power manifest in asymmetrical access – a privilege which continues to run along racial lines. To re-imagine race equality, we have to be mindful of the past and how inequalities continue to manifest. We should reflect on how racial inequalities are embedded in the current economic system. Afrikan heritage people and communities systematically have poorer economic outcomes. Unless these systemic failures and their drivers and sources are identified and addressed, we are in danger of replicating them in any attempt to design a fair and resilient economy.

Historical attempts to disenfranchise these communities have resulted in the disproportionate health, economic and policing impacts experienced today. Alternative solutions and spaces are therefore needed, spaces which do not seek to privilege certain groups over others but seek to centre these voices, change the template, and create alternative solutions and spaces for Afrikan heritage people to thrive.

‘Reparations’ is a legal term defined by the UN which calls for ‘holistic repair’. Our city and our country need a ‘process of repair’ to re-examine the reality and impact of Afrikan enslavement and its ongoing impact on communities today. As outlined by the UN, reparations should be holistic and can include many initiatives including public apologies, social justice initiatives, education, cultural projects, commemorative ceremonies and affirmative action. Nobody has the answers as to exactly what reparations should look like – that’s why what we are calling for is a process of repair which hears from many of the voices in our communities that have been impacted and are often not heard.

Full Council notes: 

1.     The racial wealth divide is an economic archaeological marker rooted in the multigenerational history of the Transatlantic Trafficking of Enslaved Afrikans (TTEA). To repair this division and to address the uncomfortable truth that lighter skin did (and continues to) confer greater advantage, reparations for this legacy must be part of the equation. The historical legacy of centuries of enslavement is fundamentally at the core of current poverty amongst people of Afrikan descent and this legacy has been left untreated.

2.     Reparative justice is about far more than money and is an acknowledgement of a crime against humanity. It is a recognition that no crime against humanity can occur with impunity. Reparations programs for victims of human rights violations are intended to bring justice to the victims. They are distinct from development, reconstruction, and victim assistance programs because they are a legal entitlement. They signal recognition that a human rights violation occurred and that victims were harmed and are therefore entitled to redress.

3.     Bristol played a major role in the Transatlantic Traffic in Enslaved Afrikans (TTEA) which saw over 15 million Afrikans forcibly trafficked to the Caribbean and America with many thousands losing their lives during the crossing from Africa to the Americas on ships registered in Bristol. A significant amount of the institutional and corporate wealth of our city  ...  view the full agenda text for item 104.

Councillor Lake moved the following motion:

Atonement and Reparation for Bristol’s role in the Transatlantic Traffic in Enslaved Afrikans (TTEA) 

Differences in power manifest in asymmetrical access – a privilege which continues to run along racial lines. To re-imagine race equality, we have to be mindful of the past and how inequalities continue to manifest. We should reflect on how racial inequalities are embedded in the current economic system. Afrikan heritage people and communities systematically have poorer economic outcomes. Unless these systemic failures and their drivers and sources are identified and addressed, we are in danger of replicating them in any attempt to design a fair and resilient economy.

Historical attempts to disenfranchise these communities have resulted in the disproportionate health, economic and policing impacts experienced today. Alternative solutions and spaces are therefore needed, spaces which do not seek to privilege certain groups over others but seek to centre these voices, change the template, and create alternative solutions and spaces for Afrikan heritage people to thrive.

‘Reparations’ is a legal term defined by the UN which calls for ‘holistic repair’. Our city and our country need a ‘process of repair’ to re-examine the reality and impact of Afrikan enslavement and its ongoing impact on communities today. As outlined by the UN, reparations should be holistic and can include many initiatives including public apologies, social justice initiatives, education, cultural projects, commemorative ceremonies and affirmative action. Nobody has the answers as to exactly what reparations should look like – that’s why what we are calling for is a processof repair which hears from many of the voices in our communities that have been impacted and are often not heard.

Full Council notes: 

1.       The racial wealth divide is an economic archaeological marker rooted in the multigenerational history of the Transatlantic Trafficking of Enslaved Afrikans (TTEA). To repair this division and to address the uncomfortable truth that lighter skin did (and continues to) confer greater advantage, reparations for this legacy must be part of the equation. The historical legacy of centuries of enslavement is fundamentally at the core of current poverty amongst people of Afrikan descent and this legacy has been left untreated.

2.       Reparative justice is about far more than money and is an acknowledgement of a crime against humanity. It is a recognition that no crime against humanity can occur with impunity. Reparations programs for victims of human rights violations are intended to bring justice to the victims. They are distinct from development, reconstruction, and victim assistance programs because they are a legal entitlement. They signal recognition that a human rights violation occurred and that victims were harmed and are therefore entitled to redress.

3.       Bristol played a major role in the Transatlantic Traffic in Enslaved Afrikans (TTEA) which saw over 15 million Afrikans forcibly trafficked to the Caribbean and America with many thousands losing their lives during the crossing from Africa to the Americas on ships registered in Bristol. A significant amount of the institutional and corporate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 104.