In August 2020 councillors unanimously endorsed a motion supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
In doing so the council became one of the first local authorities in the UK to formally state its backing for the movement.
A working group, which includes councillors from all elected political parties in North Lanarkshire, has been set up to tackle all forms of racial injustice across the area.
The group has a wide-ranging remit with areas for consideration including:
- The potential renaming of public buildings and schools
- The school curriculum
- Working towards the race-at-work charter
- Engaging with communities
The approved council motion stated that: “The council recognises the objectives of the Black Lives Matter movement; further understands the racial tensions which have been heightened - and brought sharply into focus - by the horrific death of George Floyd in the United States, resulting in the protests across the world.”
The motion also reaffirmed the council’s stance that there is no place for racism and that further action must be taken to eliminate racial injustice and discrimination in Scotland, but acknowledges that efforts to end discrimination have been inadequate and many residents of North Lanarkshire continue to suffer racism and racial inequality on a daily basis.
