A Pembroke Dock councillor continues his fight for equality for black and ethnic minority people with a call for the council to condemn and eradicate racism and explore the county’s past in the slave trade.

Clr. Joshua Beynon has said that his request to light up County Hall in purple, supporting Black Lives Matter campaigning, he wanted it to be “more than just a symbol but a starting place for education and change.”

He has now submitted a Notice of Motion to October’s full council meeting to continue his work which calls on Pembrokeshire County Council to “make an unequivocal statement that it condemns racism, prejudice and discrimination in all forms – past and present.”

Clr. Beynon’s anti-racism notice adds that the importance of black and ethnic minority communities must be recognised, along with the wider community and the council “commits to working with them to educate, identify and eradicate racism.”

Part of this will involve a politically balanced task and finish group the Clr. Beynon wants set up to “ensure BAME people’s concerns, fears and proposals are heard and they inform future policy.”

The development of resources and accurate information on Pembrokeshire’s links to the slave trade for education for residents, visitors and through schools is also proposed while discussions on the naming of buildings and other sites be examined.

Clr. Beynon adds in his NoM that this is “not to erase our history” but to learn from it and “representing it sensitively and respectfully.”

Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council is due to meet on October 8.