Green party hits out after Telford & Wrekin Council ‘refuses to accept’ Israel question
Green party campaigners have hit out after Telford & Wrekin Council ‘refused to consider’ answering a question on pension investments in Israel.
Telford & Wrekin Green Party had submitted a question to a recent meeting of the full council which has two of its councillors representing it on the county’s public sector pension committee.
Labour cabinet members Paul Davis and Zona Hannington are two of the six councillors who sit on the committee which has responsibility for all matters relating to the management and administration of the Shropshire County Pension Fund.
The full committee is made up of councillors employees and pensioners from across Shropshire.
The question, submitted by the party’s co-ordinator Pat McCarthy, asked: “Will this council recognise the genocide in Gaza, as concluded by the UN, and end our financial complicity?
“The situation demands that you halt all spending on Israeli goods and divest our pension funds from Israeli assets. To do otherwise is to make our community complicit in these atrocities.”
Mr McCarthy added that Telford & Wrekin Council refused to allow the question to be put at full council, stating that investment decisions are “not for this council.”
Mr McCarthy added that pension funds are invested in companies ‘supplying weapons used against Palestinians’ and that Telford & Wrekin Council has a “clear moral duty.”
He added: ” The UK’s moral standing was strengthened by divestment from apartheid South Africa and Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.
“Telford & Wrekin Council’s standing would likewise be enhanced by joining the 25 other UK councils that have passed resolutions supporting divestment from Israel.”
The spokesperson added: “The council cannot sit on the fence while these pension funds continue to support companies supplying weapons used against Palestinians.
“Telford & Wrekin Council must act now to divest and take a clear ethical stand.”
A spokesperson for Telford & Wrekin Council said the question request was turned down because pension fund investments are “not within our control”
The spokesperson said: “It is rare that a question received is considered not to be something that can be brought to a meeting of the full council and, on those rare occasions, when the decision is communicated to the person putting the question, the reason is always explained.
“On this occasion, it was explained that the Shropshire Local Government Pension Scheme is administered by Shropshire Council and not by Telford & Wrekin Council and, therefore, is not within our control.
“On that basis, the question should be put to Shropshire Council as they make the investment decisions.”
The pension committee meets formally at least once every three months and members of the public can ask questions when that sits.
Its next meeting is scheduled to be held at 10am on Friday, December 5.
