Issue - meetings

Council is asked to note the report for the Modern Slavery Strategy 2023-28.

Councillor Alev Cazimoglu moved, and Councillor Abdul Abdullahiseconded, the report.

Councillor Alev Cazimoglu introduced the report and explained that the Modern Slavery Act 2015 placed a statutory duty on local authorities to become first responders alongside the police in supporting victims and reporting of this crime. The Council is at the forefront of tackling this crime and supporting survivors to recovery by being providers of social housing and safeguarding services for adults and children and through our disruptions activities via England’s first Modern Slavery Team in a local authority which was established in January 2020.

The new five-year strategy is ambitious and is crucial for developing a clear vision of partnership collaborating with the police to tackle this horrendous crime. The strategy has a clear objective of a community that will not tolerate Modern Slavery and exploitation and the Modern Slavery Team’s Action Plan will help to take meaningful steps towards the realisation of these priorities.

The Opposition expressed concerns that as there is a split between the Children and Adults services and that anyone who is involved in a serious case review may be at risk of falling between the two services and potentially being missed completely. The Modern Slavery team focuses on delivering the strategy aimed at potential victims aged 18+ however, there are similar action plans and strategies underway in Children’s Services.

The Council has a responsibility with regards to the supply chain ensuring that its contractors and/or sub-contractors are not engaged in Modern Slavery. It would be useful if the report/strategy included if any contractor and any contractor that uses a subcontractor and has engaged in Modern Slavery should never be able to work for the local authority again and to be struck off any future lists.

It was acknowledged that Modern Slavery targets the most vulnerable in our society and victims are subject to the most appalling mistreatment and that a clear robust strategy and further report coming to full council was welcomed.

During the debate, a procedural motion was moved by Councillor Sabri Ozaydin and seconded by Councillor Chris Dey under paragraph 13.20 (viii) of the Council’s Procedure Rules to extend the debate for a further 10 minutes which was put to the vote and AGREED.

Members acknowledged that the Council’s Modern Slavery Team, a dedicated team focused on helping the most vulnerable in society made a total of 6-8 referrals to the Home Office where 4-5% of referrals were children exploited by gangs and criminal organisations. Criminal exploitation is the most common type of concern received by the Modern Slavery Team. This includes child criminal exploitation which is 44% of concerns, and adult criminal exploitation which accounts for 16%. This is followed by sexual exploitation is 15% and labour exploitation (15%) and financial exploitation (10%).

The extended period for debate of this item having then lapsed, a procedural motion was moved by Councillor Chris Dey and seconded by Councillor Sabri Ozaydin under paragraph 13.20 (viii) of the Council’s Procedure Rules to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9