Council 12 November 2007
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SPECIAL MEETING OF BELFAST CITY COUNCIL
Held in Adelaide Exchange on Monday, 12th November, 2007 at the hour of 6.00 o'clock p.m., pursuant to Notice.
Members present
The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor (Councillor Rodgers) (Chairman); the Deputy Lord Mayor (Councillor Kelly); the High Sheriff (Councillor Kirkpatrick); and Councillors Attwood, M. Browne, W. Browne, Convery, Crozier, Cush, D. Dodds, Hartley, Hendron, Kyle, Maginness, C. Maskey, McCann, McCarthy, McCausland, McGimpsey, McKenzie, Moore, Mullaghan, Newton, O'Neill, O'Reilly, Patterson, Rodway, Stalford, Stoker and Wilson.
Summons
The Chief Executive submitted the summons convening the meeting.
Apologies
Apologies for inability to attend were reported from Councillors Adamson, Campbell, Cunningham, N. Dodds, Ekin, Empey, Hanna, Humphrey, Lavery, McCoubrey, McMillen and Smyth.
Illegal Drugs
In accordance with Notice on the Agenda, the Council met to consider the current situation in terms of the proliferation and availability of illegal drugs on the streets of Belfast and the impact which this was having on the young people of the City, and in particular the increasing number of suicides, and to take such action thereon as may be determined.
Moved by Councillor Crozier, Seconded by Councillor D. Dodds and
Resolved - That
"Belfast City Council sends its deepest sympathy to the family of sixteen year old Dean Clarke, who died tragically last week. We condemn those responsible for the evil trade in drugs which cost Dean his life and deplore the fact that they are readily targeting children with the poison that they sell. We demand that the Police Service of Northern Ireland take resolute action to tackle all of those who are involved in the sale or supply of drugs across Belfast, from whatever quarter.
We call on all relevant agencies, in particular the Belfast Trust, the Belfast Education and Library Board and the Police Service of Northern Ireland to work with local communities to ensure that a full range of interventions is put in place which ensure young people in the City are able to deal with the trauma that has been caused by suicide and substance abuse; and ensure that an effective strategy is put in place to prevent other deaths in the future through effective education and engagement programmes for young people.
The Council further believes that these actions must be the first step in implementing a zero tolerance approach to drugs across the City."
Chairman
