Issue - meetings

To be moved by Councillor Martin Veal

The Council considered a motion from the Conservative group which was moved by Councillor Anthony Clarke, seconded by Councillor Lisa Brett and

RESOLVED that

Council notes:

·  That performing FGM in the UK and taking a child abroad to undergo FGM are both illegal: Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 and The Serious Crime Act 2015 (which has significant provisions to tackle FGM).

·  The World Health Organisation has condemned FGM for many years. In 2016 the United Nations defined FGM as child abuse.

·  It is estimated that 103,000 women aged 15-49 with FGM, born in countries in which it is practised, were living in England and Wales in 2011. In addition there were an estimated 24,000 women aged 50 and over with FGM born in FGM practising countries and nearly 10,000 girls aged 0-14 born in FGM practising countries who have undergone or are likely to undergo FGM.

·  Experts, including professionals and the third sector, believe that FGM will only be eradicated in the longer term by changing practice and custom in communities where it happens. This requires working with and empowering members of these communities to change their views towards FGM.

·  That FGM can cause a range of serious health problems including severe pain and emotional /psychological trauma, in some cases, death.

This Council resolves to:

·  Commit to raising general awareness of FGM throughout the B&NES area;

·  Encourage all schools in the area to teach sex and relationship education and raise awareness of violence against women and girls, including FGM;

·  Encourage health establishments, youth groups and the wider community to raise awareness of FGM;

·  Ensure the multi-agency approach to this serious issue, along with the comprehensive integrated violence against women and girls strategy, is supported and prioritised within existing resources;

·  Ensure mandatory reporting by professionals, if FGM is suspected or disclosed;

·  Acknowledge the thousands of years of cultural and traditional beliefs which lie behind FGM and pledge support for individuals seeking to reform their own community practices;

·  Welcome the report of the Home Affairs Select Committee, on 15th September which;

o  Recommends mandatory PHSE

o  Recommends introducing stronger sanctions for failure to meet mandatory reporting responsibility

o  Recommends that the FGM unit is given the remit, powers and budget to become the sole source of government policy for safeguarding at risk girls and eradicating FGM

·  Call on our local Members of Parliament to also welcome this report and to pressure Ministers to implement the recommendations.

[Notes;

1.  The underlined wording in the resolution was proposed by Councillor Joe Rayment and accepted into the substantive motion by the mover and seconder of the motion.

2.  The above resolution was passed with one Councillor abstaining, and the remaining Councillors voting in favour.]