Local democracy

Issue - meetings

MOTION - TRUTH AND JUSTICE FOR ORGREAVE

Meeting: 18/10/2016 - Council (Item 52)

MOTION - TRUTH AND JUSTICE FOR ORGREAVE

To be moved by Councillor Dunbar

Seconded by Councillor Engel

 

This Council notes that:

 

-          The Battle of Orgreave was a violent confrontation between police and striking miners on 18 June 1984, at the start of the Thatcher government’s clashes with miners who were taking industrial action in defence of their jobs and industry.

-          Ex-miners, their families and campaigners have waited almost two-and-a-half years for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to complete its “scoping exercise” into whether the actions of the police that day should be subjected to an investigation. The IPCC report conceded that “the unwillingness to disclose evidence of wrongdoing by officers does raise doubts about the ethical standards of officers in the highest ranks of the South Yorkshire Police at the time”.

-          The Home Office subsequently released the following statement: “The Home Secretary will consider any request she receives to set up a public inquiry into Orgreave.”

-          The Home Office received a legal submission from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign on 15 December 2015 but is yet to respond or agree to another meeting.

-          The issue of Orgreave is of local and national importance to the public, as the style of policing undertaken was in our names. A full investigation into the military style policing used on that day is now long overdue and only a full public inquiry can fully investigate it.

This Council resolves to:

 

-          Write to the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, to request a full public inquiry into the deployment and actions of police on 18 June 1984 and ask her to take part in meaningful discussions with the Orgreave Trust and Justice Campaign, the National Union of Miners and concerned MPs.

 

Decision:

Resolved -

 

This Council notes that:

 

-          The Battle of Orgreave was a violent confrontation between police and striking miners on 18 June 1984, at the start of the Thatcher government’s clashes with miners who were taking industrial action in defence of their jobs and industry.

-          Ex-miners, their families and campaigners have waited almost two-and-a-half years for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to complete its “scoping exercise” into whether the actions of the police that day should be subjected to an investigation. The IPCC report conceded that “the unwillingness to disclose evidence of wrongdoing by officers does raise doubts about the ethical standards of officers in the highest ranks of the South Yorkshire Police at the time”.

-          The Home Office subsequently released the following statement: “The Home Secretary will consider any request she receives to set up a public inquiry into Orgreave.”

-          The Home Office received a legal submission from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign on 15 December 2015 but is yet to respond or agree to another meeting.

-          The issue of Orgreave is of local and national importance to the public, as the style of policing undertaken was in our names. A full investigation into the military style policing used on that day is now long overdue and only a full public inquiry can fully investigate it.

This Council resolves to:

 

-          Write to the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, to request a full public inquiry into the deployment and actions of police on 18 June 1984 and ask her to take part in meaningful discussions with the Orgreave Trust and Justice Campaign, the National Union of Miners and concerned MPs.

ACTION: Chief Executive

Minutes:

A motion, as set out in the resolution below, was moved by Councillor Dunbar and was carried.

 

Resolved -

 

This Council notes that:

 

-          The Battle of Orgreave was a violent confrontation between police and striking miners on 18 June 1984, at the start of the Thatcher government’s clashes with miners who were taking industrial action in defence of their jobs and industry.

-          Ex-miners, their families and campaigners have waited almost two-and-a-half years for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to complete its “scoping exercise” into whether the actions of the police that day should be subjected to an investigation. The IPCC report conceded that “the unwillingness to disclose evidence of wrongdoing by officers does raise doubts about the ethical standards of officers in the highest ranks of the South Yorkshire Police at the time”.

-          The Home Office subsequently released the following statement: “The Home Secretary will consider any request she receives to set up a public inquiry into Orgreave.”

-          The Home Office received a legal submission from the Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign on 15 December 2015 but is yet to respond or agree to another meeting.

-          The issue of Orgreave is of local and national importance to the public, as the style of policing undertaken was in our names. A full investigation into the military style policing used on that day is now long overdue and only a full public inquiry can fully investigate it.

This Council resolves to:

 

-          Write to the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, to request a full public inquiry into the deployment and actions of police on 18 June 1984 and ask her to take part in meaningful discussions with the Orgreave Trust and Justice Campaign, the National Union of Miners and concerned MPs.

ACTION: Chief Executive