THURROCK Council is to set up a panel of councillors to “co-ordinate a multi-agency approach to tackle the threat of extremism and radicalisation”.
The move was unanimously agreed at Wednesday (22 July) evening’s meeting of the full council following a motion proposed by Cllr Tunde Ojetola.
The motion read: “Radicalisation of youths seems to be quite rampant, doing nothing is not an option as parents are losing their children to extremism.
“We call on Thurrock Council to create a member led committee to co-ordinate a multi-agency approach to tackle the threat of extremism and radicalisation in line with our Duty to Prevent.”
Cllr Ojetola said: “This motion cuts across race or creed; it cuts across religions; it could affect old or young; and it is of vital importance to us all, here in Thurrock and indeed in the UK.
“We need to work together to ensure the whole of Thurrock is united against any form of radicalisation. It is not just the work of teachers, or parents, or imams, or pastors, or social workers or the police. It is a job for each one of us.”
He said the dangers were “closer than we think” as social media allowing “anyone, especially the young, to become radicalised”, adding: “With freedom of speech and religion – obviously a good thing – people can get radicalised from far away, or from their local place of worship.”
Cllr Ojetola had also earlier asked Council Leader Cllr John Kent to describe what the council “is doing to prevent the radicalisation of Thurrock young people”.
Cllr Kent detailed how the council works with the Community Safety Partnership and that an internal cross-directorate group has been leading on the Prevent agenda. He said the national strategy responds to the ideological challenges faced from terrorism and extremism, and works with a wide range of sectors including education, criminal justice, faith, charities, online and health where there are risks.
The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 says councils have to make checks on the use of public buildings, its internet filters and any unregulated out-of-school settings, including after school clubs and groups, supplementary schools, and tuition centres that support home education. Schools are also placed under a new duty of care to their pupils and staff.
The council has commissioned training to help staff recognise the signs and refer where necessary into the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub. The training has taken place and also involves local authority colleagues who will be training children services staff and it is being offered to schools’ governing bodies.
Cllr Kent said: “I don’t want to people to run away with the idea there is a real problem with radicalism in Thurrock – there isn’t.
“Much of the work that we have already carried out demonstrates that, at the moment, there isn’t a real issue here.
“That doesn’t mean that there is any room for complacency whatsoever and I think member involvement and oversight that will be a good thing.”
The council’s constitution working group is being asked to report back to council in September.
