Councillor Rowland to move:

That this Council notes that:

• In 2019, more than 100,000 women had to attend a clinic that had been subject to anti-abortion protests. This figure represents more than half of all those who had an abortion that year.
• Since the Government last reviewed the issue in 2018, fifty clinics have been targeted by protesters in England and Wales, including the British Pregnancy Advice Service centre in Reading.

This Council believes that:

• Access to healthcare services must be understood as a universal right and must be protected.
• Women, whether in Reading or anywhere, have a right to make healthcare decisions privately and confidentially and that they should be able to access pregnancy advice and termination services without hindrance.

• The right to protest is legitimate and must also be protected, but this right must be balanced against the rights of women to access healthcare provision in confidence and without being subject to intimidation or other hinderance. Those who wish to campaign to restrict women’s reproductive choices should have ample opportunities to do so, and have locations in which to do so, without coming into conflict with the rights of others.
• Staff at all women’s health clinics should be protected from bullying and intimidation at their place of work.

Consequently, this Council resolves to:

• Support the British Pregnancy Advice Service’s ‘Back Off’ campaign for legislation to establish a buffer zone around relevant clinics in which protest is not permissible.
• Actively pursue a Public Space Protection Order to create a ‘designated protest zone’ and ‘protest exclusion zone’ should this become necessary in Reading to protect the right of access.

The following motion was moved by Councillor Rowland and seconded by Councillor Challenger and CARRIED:

Resolved –

That this Council notes that:

·     In 2019, more than 100,000 women had to attend a clinic that had been subject to anti-abortion protests. This figure represents more than half of all those who  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22