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(a)        Ban on arms
sales to Israel, immediate unconditional ceasefire         and compliance
with the International Criminal Court and      International Court of Justice
rulings
 
           
For nearly a year, Blackburn with Darwen residents
have gathered in       solidarity, protesting the
ongoing conflict in Gaza.  Many have
   expressed deep concerns to their
local representatives, urging action      to stop arms sales to Israel and
calling for an immediate ceasefire.
 
           
The trauma from witnessing the devastation in Palestine has deeply
       affected
our communities, leading to a rise in Islamophobia and
Anti-       
Semitism.  As a Council, we must listen
to our residents and press the       government to work towards
lasting peace and justice.
 
           
Airstrikes have continued and intensified the humanitarian crisis,
  causing significant            
civilian casualties, including children, and further       escalating the
situation.  These actions are part of
what the         
International Court of Justice (ICJ) and global human rights
           
organisations have confirmed as genocide, with Israel’s
policies in          
occupied Palestinian territories violating international law,
including      illegal
settlements and systematic oppression. 
The humanitarian     crisis
demands urgent international intervention.
 
           
This Council calls on the government to:
 
           
Revoke all arms export licenses to Israel and suspend future
sales.
 
           
Advocate for an unconditional ceasefire and prioritise the
protection of    
civilians.
 
           
Increase diplomatic pressure to halt illegal settlements and resume
         peace
talks, in line with the ICJ rulings.
 
           
Support international investigations into human rights violations,
   including the confirmed genocide
and war crimes.
 
           
Welcome and comply with the International Criminal Court’s
(ICC) arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant and
Mohammed Deif.
 
           
Facilitate peace talks that respect the security and rights of both
   Palestinians and Israelis, while
holding all parties accountable to  
international legal standards.
 
           
The Council further requests that:
 
           
The Chief Executive and Leader of the Council write to the Prime
Minister and Foreign Secretary to halt arms sales, call for an
immediate ceasefire, and ensure adherence to international law,
    including compliance with
ICJ and ICC rulings.
 
           
The Council resolves to support humanitarian aid efforts, foster
local       
dialogue to            
counter hate, and back peaceful initiatives that promote
     justice and
long-term peace for both sides of the conflict.
 
           
Additionally, the Council urges the government to review trade
      agreements
with companies involved in illegal activities in the region,
   ensure no complicity in acts of
genocide, and increase humanitarian       support for Gaza’s
civilians.
 
           
Moved by Councillor Salim Sidat
           
Seconded by Councillor Mustafa Desai
 
           
Following debate, an Amended Motion was circulated
to Members as     
follows (amendments in italics and bold):
 
Amendment
to the Motion on the ban on arms sales to Israel, immediate
unconditional ceasefire and compliance with the International
Criminal Court and International Court of Justice
rulings         
 
           
For nearly a year, Blackburn with Darwen residents
have gathered in       solidarity, protesting the
ongoing conflict in Gaza.  Many have
   expressed deep concerns to their
local representatives, urging action      to stop arms sales to Israel and
calling for an immediate cease fire.
 
           
The trauma from witnessing the devastation in Palestine has deeply
       affected
our communities, leading to a rise in Islamophobia and     Antisemitism.  As a Council, we    must listen to our residents and
         
press the government to work towards lasting   peace and justice.
 
           
Airstrikes have continued and intensified the humanitarian crisis,
  causing significant            
civilian casualties, including children, and further       escalating the
situation.  These            
actions are part of what the        International Court
of Justice (ICJ) and global human rights            
organisations have confirmed as genocide, with Israel’s
policies in          
occupied Palestinian territories violating international law,
including      illegal
settlements and systematic oppression. 
While the     
humanitarian crisis demands urgent international intervention, it
           
is vital that the international community recognises that the only
     long-term solution
will be through a two-state solution secured      through UN
involvement.
 
           
This Council calls on the government to:
 
           
Revoke all arms export licenses to Israel and suspend future
sales.
 
           
Advocate for an unconditional ceasefire and prioritise the
protection of     civilians,
with release of all hostages and prisoners on both sides,
       whilst
working towards lasting peace and a two-state solution as
      agreed per UN
resolution.
 
           
Continue to monitor the conflicted area and make sure access
         for
humanitarian aid is allowed in Gaza.
 
           
Increase diplomatic pressure to halt illegal settlements and resume
         peace
talks, in line with the ICJ rulings.
 
           
Support international investigations into human rights violations,
   including the confirmed genocide
and war crimes.
 
           
Welcome and comply with the International Criminal Court’s
(ICC) arrest warrants for Bejamin Netanyahy, Yoav Gallant and
Mohammed     
Deif.
 
           
Facilitate peace talks that respect the security and rights of both
   Palestinians and Israelis, while
holding all parties accountable to  
international legal standards.
 
           
The Council request that:
 
           
The Chief Executive and Leader of the Council write to the Prime
Minister and Foreign Secretary to halt arms sales, call for an
immediate ceasefire with lasting peace and a two-state
solution as outlined in the Labour Party manifesto, and
ensure adherence to            
international law, including compliance with ICJ and ICC
rulings.
 
           
The council resolves to support humanitarian aid efforts, foster
local       
dialogue to counter hate, and back peaceful initiatives that
promote       
justice and long-term peace for both sides of the
conflict.
 
           
Additionally, the Council urges the government to review trade
      agreements
with companies involved in illegal activities in the region,
   ensure no complicity in acts of
genocide, and increase humanitarian       support for Gaza’s
civilians.
 
           
Moved by Councillor Quesir Mahmood

           
Seconded by Councillor Mahfooz Hussain
 
           
This amendment was put to the vote and CARRIED, the amended
         
Motion, now being the Substantive Motion, was put to the
vote:
 
           
RESOLVED – That the Substantive Motion be
CARRIED.
 
           
(b)    Council
Tax
 
           
At Prime Ministers Questions on 13th
November Keir Starmer was non-committal when asked by the Leader of
the Opposition to confirm        if he would keep the
cap on Council Tax.
 
           
This failure to rule out changes came amid fiscal reforms rolled
out by      the
Chancellor during the Autumn Budget.
 
           
Downing Street has since said that the 5% cap will remain, this is
three times the current rate of inflation; and if fully enacted by
councils          
will add to the financial pressures being felt by
households.  Whilst       this was a definite
statement of intent it will not inspire public            
confidence given the chancellors propensity to change the tax
      raising
promises she repeatedly made during the General
Election.
 
           
At the Executive Board meeting on 13th June this year,
the Executive      
Member for            
Growth and Development highlighted the performance of    the borough’s growth programme which
included:
 
·      
House building continuing to perform well with 598
housing completions delivered in 2023/24 – the highest ever
recorded in the borough including new build homes as well as
re-purposing existing buildings.
·      
Since 2015/16 there have been 3,415 housing
completions across the borough; with 2,934 new homes and 481
conversions.
·      
The new Local Plan identifying a pipeline of circa
7,000 homes over the net 15 years with 56% already benefitting from
planning permission.
·      
In 2015/16 the council forecasted a total Section
106 income of £1.4m for infrastructure investment as a result
of development, with the current Section 106 developers’
contributions forecast now being more than £12m and
growing.
·      
More than 6,000 additional jobs generated since 2017
with the borough home nearly 5,000 businesses with one of the
highest rates of new business growth in the North West.
 
           
This council recognises the contribution this level of growth has
made      to generating
significant income.
 
           
In order to remove doubt about future Government policy changes to
      Council Tax
  and to protect our residents from
further financial    
hardship, we request that the Executive member for Finance and
Governance present to the Finance Council a   budget that will include      a recommendation to cap Council
Tax at the rate of inflation or 5%     whichever is the lower until
2026.
 
           
Further there is a commitment that any proposed change by
        
Government to banding or single persons discount will be vigorously
    resisted.
 
           
Moved by Councillor Kevin Connor
           
Seconded by Councillor John Slater
 
           
Following debate, the Motion was put to the
vote:
 
           
RESOLVED – that the Motion be LOST