Broadland: District Council shows support for the people of Ukraine

This Council and its members of all policitial parties, join all residents and communities across Broadland in condemning Vladimir Putin's unprovoked and brutual war on Ukraine and recognises the need to support the Ukrainian people and their communities affected by this terrible onslaught.

This Council therefore resolves to:

• Work in partnership with all councils across Norfolk help make preparations for refugee accommodation in our county.
• Work with local schools and colleges to help provide children and young people displaced by the war with access to the educational facilities they need.
• Recognise and value the experience and expertise of local agencies and organisations and work with them as they help to provide resources and assistance to Ukrainian refugees as they arrive.
• Promote and support other organisations, such as the Red Cross and Unicef, working on the ground in Ukraine to provide humanitarian aid.

The Council understands the need to ensure the interests of the Russian regime and its supporters, whether political or financial are not promoted in our area and confirms its support for:

• The disinvesting of the Norfolk County Council pension fund in Russian investments.
• The need to see alternatives at the earliest opportunity where existing contracts are reliant on Russian suppliers including the energy supplier Total who have confirmed they will not be cutting ties with Russian suppliers.
• Support and encourage the government to impose the strictest possible sanctions on the Russian regime and to continue to monitor and remove the ability of those with ties to Putin's regime to continue financial operations in the UK.
• In the face of an autocratic Russian regime carrying out a despicable and unprovoked war on the democratic country of Ukraine and its peoples, all political parties in Broadland unite in condemning those actions and in confirming the basic human rights of all peoples to self-determination and democratic governance as outlined at the United Nations.

Presenting the motion Council Leader Shaun Vincent said:

“We are proudly flying the Ukrainian flag in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

“On behalf of Members and Officers of Broadland Council we utterly condemn the unprovoked actions of Russia and premedicated war against the people of Ukraine. We want to send a message loud and strong to the people of Ukraine that our prayers are with them. 

“Broadland District Council stands ready to help Ukrainian refugees wherever we can working with the UK Government to support its settlement programme and our staff, working in partnership with all the other Norfolk Councils, is making preparations at pace for refugee settlement in Norfolk.”           

Councillor Sue Holland, Leader of the Liberal group said:

“I can truly say I was horrified by the unprovoked attack on Ukraine by Vladimir Putin’s regime. I would wish our country to support Ukraine and its people in every way possible.  

“As a democratically elected member of the council, I am pleased to be able to uphold democracy and work with all political parties on this motion. I hope that by doing so we send a strong message of support to Ukraine and an equally strong message to the wider world about the democratic rights of all to self-government.”