Councillor David Burgess-Joyce moved and Councillor Michael Collins seconded the following motion submitted in accordance with Standing Order 13:

“The United Kingdom has a long and proud history on the world stage and has been a beacon for peace and democracy, both within its own shores, and as a promulgator abroad. We have, as a result, a great reputation for attracting peoples from across the globe who want to make their home here for those very reasons; not least our tolerance of race, lifestyle, politics, religion and gender.

The exiting of the European Union in January 2020 prompted a flurry of new international trade deals, designed to complement the existing EU arrangement, together with a ramping-up of the establishment of the UK as a sovereign nation free to engage at will. This will lead to a greater drive to ‘Buy British’ and Wirral Council should play its part.

A number of key moments in 2020 proved that the British public, whether they voted for or against leaving the EU, do not feel any less proud of their country and it is important we as public officials support this important view as we extend our reach on the world stage. As a primary display of this, Council therefore requests Policy and Resources Committee to consider andto support the visible display of the Union Flag in all public areas with immediate effect and show it on all correspondence.”

Councillor Samantha Frost moved and Councillor Stuart Whittingham seconded the following amendment, submitted in accordance with Standing Order 13.3:

“In paragraph 1 line 2 and 3 replace all text after democracy up to and including abroad and replace it with that has been the envy of the world.

In paragraph 1 line 3 replace the word attracting to welcoming.

In paragraph 1 line 4 and 5 replace all after our with British values of tolerance and respect.

In paragraph 2 line 1 replace the word prompted after 2020 with potentially may lead to…

In paragraph 2 line 2 replace the word designed with ideally.

In paragraph 2 line 4 insert the word potentially between This and will

In paragraph 3 line 1 and 2 delete the text between public and do.

Add the following to paragraph 3 line 6:

As part of this consideration Council requests that the Policy and Resources Committee consider that the Council already has a flag flying policy, the Union Flag is already flown on several public buildings and that any proposed changes to the flag flying policy should be subject to widespread public consultation that involves all communities, faiths and minorities groups.

Insert the following paragraph between paragraphs 1 and 2:

Council believes that pride in one’s country is a spirit of comradeship for those who share our country, regardless of their background or walk of life. It is about recognising when our country is faltering and helping it to do better. Pride in one’s country is representing what is best about it, and putting its best face forward, to the rest of the world. It isn’t about believing our country is always right. It means apologising when our country has been wrong and learning from the mistakes of the past to make a stronger future.

Between paragraph 2 and 3 insert the following paragraph:

Council notes that the Council’s Community Wealth Building strategy will lead to an increase of goods and services being procured locally, thus protecting and creating local jobs as well as retaining wealth in the local area.

Insert the following paragraph after paragraph 3:

This Council continues to uphold such pride in one’s country and pride in our wonderful borough of Wirral and will continue to do so.”

Having applied the guillotine in accordance with Standing Order 9.1, the Council did not debate this matter.

The amendment was put and carried (39:21) (One abstention).

The substantive motion, as amended, was then put, and it was –

Resolved (38:21) (Two abstentions) - The United Kingdom has a long and proud history on the world stage and has been a beacon for peace and democracy, that has been the envy of the world. We have, as a result, a great reputation for welcoming peoples from across the globe who want to make their home here for those very reasons; not least our British values of tolerance and respect.

Council believes that pride in one’s country is a spirit of comradeship for those who share our country, regardless of their background or walk of life. It is about recognising when our country is faltering and helping it to do better. Pride in one’s country is representing what is best about it, and putting its best face forward, to the rest of the world. It isn’t about believing our country is always right. It means apologising when our country has been wrong and learning from the mistakes of the past to make a stronger future.

The exiting of the European Union in January 2020 potentially may lead toa flurry of new international trade deals, ideallyto complement the existing EU arrangement, together with a ramping-up of the establishment of the UK as a sovereign nation free to engage at will. This potentiallywill lead to a greater drive to ‘Buy British’ and Wirral Council should play its part.

Council notes that the Council’s Community Wealth Building strategy will lead to an increase of goods and services being procured locally, thus protecting and creating local jobs as well as retaining wealth in the local area.

A number of key moments in 2020 proved that the British public do not feel any less proud of their country and it is important we as public officials support this important view as we extend our reach on the world stage. As a primary display of this, Council therefore requests Policy and Resources Committee to consider andto support the visible display of the Union Flag in all public areas with immediate effect and show it on all correspondence. As part of this consideration Council requests that the Policy and Resources Committee consider that the Council already has a flag flying policy, the Union Flag is already flown on several public buildings and that any proposed changes to the flag flying policy should be subject to widespread public consultation that involves all communities, faiths and minorities groups.

This Council continues to uphold such pride in one’s country and pride in our wonderful borough of Wirral and will continue to do so.