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Subject: |
Petitions |
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Date of Meeting: |
24 September 2020 |
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Report of: |
Executive Lead Officer for Strategy, Governance & Law |
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Contact Officer: |
Name: |
Mark Wall |
Tel: |
01273 291006 |
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E-mail: |
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Wards Affected: |
All |
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FOR GENERAL RELEASE
1. SUMMARY AND POLICY CONTEXT:
1.1 To receive any petitions received directly by Democratic Services in accordance with the required time-frame or referred from the special Council meeting held on the 13 August 2020.
2. RECOMMENDATIONS:
2.2 That the Committee responds to the petition either by noting it or writing to the petition organiser setting out the Council’s views, or where it is considered more appropriate, calls for an officer report on the matter which may give consideration to a range of options, including the following:
§ taking the action requested in the petition
§ considering the petition at a council meeting
§ holding an inquiry into the matter
§ undertaking research into the matter
§ holding a public meeting
§ holding a consultation
§ holding a meeting with petitioners
§ calling a referendum
3. PETITIONS
Add a sign to the Queen Victoria Statue in Hove, explaining the Impact of the Empire
Lead Petitioner – Tim Telford
3.1 To receive the following petition referred from the special meeting of the full Council and signed by 364 people:
The statue of Queen Victoria in Hove proudly declares her the Ind Imperatrix (Empress of India). This is a title given to her because of the British colonisation of India. It is estimated that the colonisation lead to the death of 35 million Indian people although it is known more people lost their life to famine in this time which may have been directly due to British mismanagement.
Proudly declaring Queen Victoria, the Empress of India implies a glory to the Empire which is unfounded. We ask that a sign is placed near the statue that gives a brief account of the impact of colonisation, including the estimated number of deaths. This sign will help to educate people about Britain’s more difficult history with the rest of the world.
This will not right any wrongs done. But it will show that we, in Brighton and Hove, refuse to stand by the glorious image of empire presented in the Victorian propaganda this statue represents.