In our Plymstock Post column, Councillors stand together against violence and hate crime after a summer of violence in the city.
speaking at the meeting
of the Full Council
Update from Cllr Daniel Steel for Plymstock Radford
At the most recent Full Council – a meeting of Plymouth City Councillors to discuss the important issues facing our city – I proposed my first Motion on Notice on community cohesion. A Motion on Notice is a debate topic and sets council policy.
Given the disorder we saw around the country and in our city over the summer, it was important to call on the whole council to stand together to make clear that violence, racism and hate have no place in Plymouth. I am pleased to report the motion passed with unanimous support!
It was also about celebrating the work of our unsung heroes in the police, council officers, and other partners who help keep us safe and our city running smoothly. I was extremely moved by the maiden speech of my fellow Plymstock Councillor, Maria Lawson, who received a well-deserved standing ovation. Cllr. Lawson summarises her speech later in this article.
In my speech one topic I spoke about was the inspiring actions of a group of residents from Plymstock who organised a carpool for care workers, many of whom would have usually clocked off and caught buses to Royal Parade to get home. One of these residents told me: ‘I could have wept at the relief the carers showed at having offers of lifts.’ This is the true Janner spirit.
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Alongside preparations for the Full Council meeting, attending community and civic events and supporting residents with casework, we have continued our regular rhythm of Councillor surgeries at Plymstock Library alongside Devon & Cornwall Police’s Plymstock Neighbourhood Team. This remains a vital channel for residents to share their thoughts and concerns.
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Update from Cllr Maria Lawson for Plymstock Dunstone
During my maiden speech at the Full Council meeting in response to Cllr Steel’s motion on community cohesion, it was important to recognise the positive contribution that our diverse community has made to our city.
I have worked as a nurse in Plymouth for over 41 years. The workforce at Derriford of over 11,000 people is made up of committed and caring staff from 92 countries. The skills and expertise of our diverse workforce enables the delivery of care to residents of Plymouth and the surrounding area.
My beautiful diverse and blended family have always contributed positively to society. My mother-in-law and father-in-law answered the call from the mother country and left their home in Jamaica to help in the NHS. My mother-in-law worked in nursing until she was 67 and my father-in-law becoming the first black public health inspector in Salford. They arrived in this country before Jamaica gained independence as British citizens.
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My husband, who was born here, served 22 years in the Royal Navy and I believe was the second black police officer in Plymouth, serving a further 20 years.
In my speech, I reflected on the racism and discrimination my son has experienced throughout his life and how this had led him to question his own identity and sense of belonging. I also expressed how members of the global community who work at Derriford have expressed feeling unsafe and uncomfortable travelling to and from work. My fear is that misinformation and disinformation may lead to a rise in hate crime. It is all our responsibility to continue to stand up to hate and call it out when we see it. As Maya Angelou said: ‘Hate has caused a lot of problems in this world but has not solved one yet.”
Update from Cllr John Stephens for Plymstock Dunstone
In the debate recalling the shameful violence in our city over the summer, Cllr Tess Blight spoke about the value of high-class teaching of Religious Education in our city’s schools.
She named Goosewell Primary Academy to highlight its excellent teaching of RE to challenge and enable children to take their place in a diverse, multi-cultural, multi-faith and multi-secular city such as Plymouth.
Over 75 languages are spoken in our city’s schools by children who look upon each other as classmates, friends and members of the same school who share and contribute to their community, city and the planet that we all belong to.
On November 8, here in Plymstock, people will gather around the War Memorial on Burrow Hill to honour the lives of men and women who served our country, often paying the ultimate sacrifice, and usually alongside those of other nationalities and faiths.
The gathering, like those right across the land, is not just for veterans but also for their families and the public, members of our various public services, national and local elected members, and children and young people from some Plymstock schools.
In doing so, they will join as one to commemorate, pray and hope that the world we live in will see an end to the horrors and heartache caused by those whose motive it to dominate and perpetuate cruel acts of hatred and division.
As we remember them, let us all remember those who suffer today.
As ever, please contact your Plymstock Labour councillors via email or by mobile
Update from Cllr Stefan Krizanac for Plymstock Dunstone
Cllr Maria Lawson and I visited Plymstock Bowling Club on their Family Open Day. I was under the impression that only senior citizens played bowls there but was pleasantly surprised to see all age groups enjoying themselves playing and socialising.
The club, owned by members, is refurbishing the bar area in the next few months and have ambitious plans to install solar panels to reduce energy and carbon costs. The latter is something we are looking forward to helping the club with through our community grant.
During our September ward walk around Staddiscombe, Dunstone councillors saw at first hand the difference a football club experienced using newly purchased equipment we had purchased with our community grants. On the same walk, we had the opportunity to see a memorial stone and plaque tucked away in the shrubbery along the perimeter of Staddiscombe playing fields. It was a reminder of a radar station stationed there during the Second World War and those who manned it to protect our communities during some of the darkest days in our history. I will reflect upon this during Remembrance Day.
Councillor Contact Details
Plymstock Radford:
daniel.steel@plymouth.gov.uk on 07483 300703
Plymstock Dunstone:
Maria.Lawson@plymouth.gov.uk 07483 301 286
Stefan.Krizanac@plymouth.gov.uk 07813 395 873
John.Stephens@plymouth.gov.uk 07977 7630 601
