Subject:

Rejection of the usage of the terms 'Duke and Duchess of Sussex’- Petition for Debate

Date of Meeting:

19 December 2019

Report of:

Executive Lead Officer for Strategy, Governance & Law

Contact Officer:

Name:

Mark Wall

Tel:

01273 291006

 

E-mail:

mark.wall@brighton-hove.gov.uk

Wards Affected:

 

All

 

For General Release

 

 

1.      SUMMARY AND POLICY CONTEXT:

 

1.1      Under the Council’s Petition Scheme if a petition contains more than 1,250 signatures and is not petition requesting officer evidence, it will be debated by the Full Council.

 

1.2      The e-petition has resulted in triggering a debate at the council meeting, having exceeded the threshold with a total of 3,696 signatures confirmed at the time of printing the report.

 

2.      RECOMMENDATIONS:

 

2.1      That the petition is noted the council determine whether any other action is required.

 

3.       RELEVANT BACKGROUND INFORMATION / CHRONOLOGY OF KEY EVENTS:

         

3.1      The Petition

 

          Rejection of the usage of the terms 'Duke and Duchess of Sussex’        

          Lead Petitioner – Charles Ross

         

          Additional Information:

 

          We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to reject the usage of the titles "Duke of Sussex" and "Duchess of Sussex" by the individuals Henry ("Harry") Windsor and Rachel Meghan Markle as morally wrong and disrespectful to the county of East Sussex. As residents of Brighton and Hove we call on Brighton and Hove Council to not refer to these individuals by such titles which we believe to be entirely non-democratic and symbolic of the oppression of the general public by the wealthy elite. Neither will Brighton Council invite or entertain these individuals nor afford them any hospitality or courtesies above and beyond that of an ordinary member of the public.

          The petition aims to establish a precedent that Brighton and Hove Council will no longer afford official hospitality to those with Royal or aristocratic titles nor make usage of those titles in official documents as these titles are arbitrarily and unfairly acquired.

 

4.      PROCEDURE:

 

4.1      The petition will be debated at the Council meeting in accordance with the agreed protocol:

         

(i)        The Lead petitioner will be invited by the Mayor to present the petition and will have up to 3 minutes in which to outline the prayer of the petition and confirm the number of signatures;

 

(ii)       The Mayor will then open the matter up for debate by councillors for period of 15 minutes and will first call on the relevant Committee Chair to respond to the petition and move a proposed response.  The Mayor will then call on those councillors who have indicated a desire to speak in the matter, before calling on the relevant Committee Chair to respond to the debate;

 

(iii)      An amendment to the recommendation in paragraph 2.1 of the report or to add additional recommendations should be submitted by 10.00am on the day of the meeting; otherwise it will be subject to the Chair’s discretion as to being appropriate.  Any such amendment will need to be formally moved and seconded at the meeting;

 

(iv)      After the 15 minutes set aside for the debate, the Mayor will then formally put:

 

(v)       (a) Any amendments in the order in which they are moved, and


(b) The substantive recommendation(s) as amended (if amended).