From September 1 up to date:
Can you please provide (redacted as needed) internal communications/memos/notices/emails/video conference calls , advice, webinars or
transcripts of these, etc
– From potentially
Staff networks, working groups, intranet notices, senior members staff and management, internal recommendations on behalf of senior staff or the organization as a whole, reports, letters, petitions and external communications to senior staff
– My main focus is email communication to and from the most senior staff: council leader, deputy leader, Chief Executive, staff members and councillors whose portfolios manage heritage specifically
– Regarding:
Actions, interventions and projects intended to decolonise or address contested legacies and diversity – particularly with regard to named figures who may be problematic colonialism, racism and slavery
This could found using key terms:
“Decolonising” “Colonialism”, “imperialism”, “empire”, “institutional racism”, “white supremacy” “far right”
In particular I would like to know what particular figures or objects in the built environment (statues, road names, building names etc) have been a focus for review of re-assessment, and what action has been proposed internally to deal with this
As a focussed question it could be framed as: “What work is being done, or has been proposed in the above material, to tackle historic legacies of slavery, racism, or other contested legacies?”
Devon County Council do not have portfolio holders/services with specific responsibility for Heritage/Culture and the recent Notices of Motion at Full Council best explain our position and actions on this subject. In Devon, it is the District and City Councils who are dealing with questions around monuments and place names and we would therefore recommend that you contact these councils for further information. Their contact details can be found on our website at:
For the Notices of Motion, see Minutes for items 310 and 311:
The Briefing Note, which contains more information, is in the Agenda Report Pack for the previous Cabinet meeting, see pages 56 to 61: