Decision details

Purpose: to approve a new policy

Cabinet considered the interim head of corporate services’ report on the creation and adoption of a new policy that set out how and why the council supported certain socially important events and campaigns. 

The Cabinet member for corporate services reported that the proposed policy would provide a basis for the council to publicly support a wide range of events, religious festivals and social issues, in a way that was sensitive to its residents’ beliefs and opinions, and in a way that was proportionate to the rest of the council’s external communications.  The policy would help to ensure the council was focusing its support on the events and issues most aligned to the council’s adopted priorities.  It would also help to explain why the council had chosen to promote one issue but not another.  The Cabinet member welcomed Councillor Newton’s feedback and considered that all councillors should be given the opportunity to make suggestions. 

Cabinet supported the proposed policy and the systematic approach to ensuring that the events the council supported were aligned with the council’s corporate priorities.  The council needed to accept, tolerate and recognise differences.  Cabinet preferred having one calendar to support the policy.  The policy was also open to review and adjustment as necessary.  For example, different days could be recognised and supported in different years. 

RESOLVED: to

(a)       adopt the policy on the council’s support for socially important topics and campaigns, as set out in the interim head of corporate services’ report to Cabinet on 10 June 2021; 

(b)       agree to incorporate dates relating to diversity and inclusion into a broader calendar of events to accompany this policy, as set out in option 3 in the interim head of corporate services’ report; and

(c)        authorise the relevant head of service, currently the interim head of corporate services, in consultation with the Cabinet member for corporate services, to finalise the draft list of dates, subject to any final amendments in consultation with other Cabinet members.