Sikh Council UK has now been able to secure an update meeting with the Home Office Head of Migration policy (Immigration & Border Policy Directorate)
If your Gurdwara Sahib is affected by this issue it is important you make every effort to
attend and also bring with you some case samples so that we can take these up with the
Officer
If you do have cases but are unable to attend please send these to us asap and we will be
happy to share these on your behalf
Dear Colleague
Please see links below for the consultation on the Census 2021 we urge everyone to complete this asap organisations and individuals can complete. It is important we do this so that we are fairly represented in the 2021 census
Main areas of interest will be identifying ‘Sikh’ as a separate entry on the form under ‘ethnicity’ and for more resources to be provided in assisting people who are not computer literate to complete the forms as well as assistance for those who do not read/write English (2011 Census was heavily dependent on voluntary resources of the community)
These are just some of the shortcomings in the 2011 Census.
We are happy to provide some sample responses in the coming days.
NB: Please note not all sections need to be completed you can go direct to the relevant sections once you have completed the mandatory questions
ublic consultation on the 2021 Census in England and Wales
ONS is encouraging people to respond online to their current proposals
More information on the topic consultation, including a PDF of the “Initial View on Content for England and Wales”, is available at
Anyone can take part in this public consultation which closes on Thursday 27 August and users’ feedback will inform further research, development of questions, and other engagement activities.The National Statistician, John Pullinger, says:
“Decisions based on the census can touch the lives of all of us. Individuals and organisations alike are able to make better decisions based on the unique and reliable evidence base that the census provides. But we can’t run this major project alone. We need the help of census users to ensure that the census stays relevant and credible. So do please take the time to share your views through this consultation. Together we can make sure we understand as much as we need to about the population in 2021.”
The Sikh Council UK condemns the violence in Jammu and Kashmir, India resulting in the death of at least one Sikh and is appealing for calm on both sides as well as writing to the Chief Minister demanding decisive action to hold the Police to account for their actions.
The origin of these events is reported as the tearing down of a poster commemorating the 31st anniversary of the Indian Army attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar by Police officers and has been seen as a provocative and inflammatory act, as well as being an infringement of the right to free speech and freedom of expression in a democratic country
The Sikh Council UK totally condemns the use of live ammunition and resultant shooting dead of a Sikh as totally unacceptable in any circumstances in a democratic country. Whilst reaffirming our support for peaceful protest we would urge all concerned to exercise restraint in the face of provocation and to refrain from any act of violent behavior.
The use of live ammunition in a modern, civilised and democratic nation is an unacceptable and outdated method for policing demonstrations. It is inexcusable for the Police to be shooting its own civilians with live ammunition.
This disproportionate force appears to illustrate the perceived hostility that the State has towards Sikhs in India. The international Sikh Community are concerned that innocent Sikhs are still becoming victims of Police terror as they were during the 1980s and 1990s and once again question whether any justice is available to Sikhs living in India.
The Sikh Council UK is also alarmed by the imposition of a media and internet service blackout in Jammu and Kashmir. This appears to indicate that the Police wishes to deploy underhand and sinister methods to suppress the protests without media scrutiny in a similar fashion to the state censorship that occurred during Operation Bluestar and the massacre of Sikhs in Delhi in 1984.
The use of a media and internet service blackout does nothing to ease tensions within the Sikh community but will only serve to inflame and create a sense of widespread panic and vulnerability for Sikhs living in Jammu and Kashmir. These methods have no place in a democratic society in which individual human rights as well as law and order are respected.
In a letter to the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Sikh Council UK has demanded he takes decisive action towards ensuring that the responsible Police officers are formally investigated and appropriately held to account for their failures in properly managing this situation. The letter also seeks confirmation of measures he has already taken and that he proposes to take to ensure the return of law and order whilst respecting the Sikh community right to protest.
The letter is copied to the Jammu & Kashmir Minister for Law, Justice & Parliamentary Affairs and Relief & Rehabilitation, the Minister of Home Affairs in the Union Government of India and the High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.
We note media reports of a FIR being registered against a Police officer alleged to have fired the round that took the life of a Sikh. We look forward to seeing due process being observed and justice being delivered to the Sikhs family.
2 nd May 2015 Local Meeting held at Guru Nanak Durbar Erith/Belvedere local meeting
10 May 2015 representatives of Sikh Council UK supported the annual charitable Sikh Bike Ride in East London.
14th May 2015 An Executive Member of Sikh Council UK attended a Faiths Forum for London event with the Commission for Religion and Belief in British Public Life chaired by Baroness Butler-Sloss which is exploring how shared understandings of the common good may contribute to a more harmonious British society.
16th May 2015 General Assembly of Sikh Council UK took place at Guru Arjan Dev Ji Gurdwara Derby during the meeting Sikh Council presented its paper on political engagement and building the Sikh vote.
16th May 2015 Representatives of Sikh Council UK attended the official opening of Gurdwara Sahib Ramgarhia Sabha Derby. During the event the Secretary General was honoured for his services and the work of Sikh Council UK.
23rd May 2015 Attendance by Sikh Council UK at Punjabi language A level campaign meeting
A number of meetings have been held with existing and newly elected MPs to introduce SCUK, build relationships and introduce raise outstanding issues of concern particularly with regards to Sikh articles of faith and dastaar. The key objective is to achieve a position of freedom to wear the Kakaars be over the course of this Parliament in UK and ideally across the EU
Representative of Sikh Council UKs Executive Committee attended a memorial service at St Michaels Church centenary commemoration Sikh contribution of battle in Gallipoli during the First World War.
5 th May 2015 A reporter from Funeral Service Times, a trade magazine, contacted Sikh Council UK wanting to speak to someone regarding Sikh funeral traditions and the best way for funeral directors to assist Sikh families. The reporter was put in touch with Dr Virk a learned senior member of the Executive Committee who was able to assist.
13th May 2015 A radio producer from BBC Radio World Service contacted Sikh Council UK wanting to speak to someone regarding Beards and the religious significance of beards in Sikhi as part of looking at faiths where hair is not cut including Sikhs, Muslims, Jews. The producer was put in touch with Dr Virk who was able to assist.
Following the general election a press release regarding the lack of Sikh MP’s was issued followed by other coordinated media activities by a media consultant. This included preparing and issuing data regarding the latest election and comparison with previous elections. This resulted in extensive media coverage being obtained in print, broadcast and internet media. The story ran across various media for over a week.
Contact and Correspondence
Sikh council UK sent out thank you letters to Members of Parliament prior to the general election. These were sent to a number of MP’s across all parties who were particularly helpful to Sikh Council UK and to Sikh causes generally during the last Parliament.
Contact from an adoption social worker wanting to understand the locations of the Sikh Community across the UK so that he could approach local authorities in the respective areas to identify a family for an adoption placement. Appropriate details were provided.
Sikh Council UK supported the relief work by member organisations including Sikh Relief and Khalsa Aid in Nepal following the devastating earthquake and resulting humanitarian crisis.
Sikh Council UK has become aware of serious allegations involving misrepresenting the activities of Sikh Council UK via the internet and social media.
Secretary General of Sikh Council UK, Gurmel Singh said, “It would seem that one or more persons have resorted to this method of criticising Sikh Council UK perhaps out of fear, envy or their history.
I am actually amused by this unwarranted attack by one or more persons who choose to remain anonymous rather than raise these matters directly with the Sikh Council UK in a professional manner.”
Administrative Secretary of Sikh Council UK, Jagtar Singh Gill said, “Those associated with the Sikh Council UK or aware of its work and successes will recognise the myths being circulated some of which may border on untruths.
It would appear that the author/s may have limited comprehension of working within the political and democratic process in Great Britain and appear to want to transpose a different type of politics on the British political scene.” Spokesperson and Head of Political Engagement for Sikh Council UK, Gurinder Singh Josan said, “Sikh Council UK is a politically neutral body that works with politicians of all parties.
Prior to the general election, the Secretary General had personally written to a number of politicians across all political parties to thank them for their particular support in addressing issues affecting Sikhs in the last parliament. Paul Uppal just happened to be one of those politicians.”
He added, “The Sikh Council UK’s pragmatic and reasoned approach to building influence through developing relationships and acknowledging those who work to support us on Sikh issues has been a success. The passage of the amendment to the Employment Act 1989 by Parliament to allow turban wearing Sikhs to work in all workplaces has been achieved through this approach and without the need for demonstrations, petitions, letter writing campaigns and large lobbies. Whilst this has been an issue since the 1990’s I assume it was not tackled earlier either due to lac
Assistant Administrative Secretary of Sikh Council UK, Ranjit Singh Seehra said, “We have noted that for the first time since 1992 there are no Sikh MP’s in this parliament. We were particularly saddened to hear that there may have been negative campaigns against some Sikh candidates by fellow Sikhs during the election. If this is true it is most regrettable. Whilst it is important for political parties to act on improving Sikh representation, it is important for the community to positively play its part too.”
Coordinator of Affiliate Organisations for Sikh Council UK, Surinder Singh Jandu said, “Sikh Council UK has actively taken up the issue of destitute Panjabis without legal status in the UK and the sexual exploitation of women in the south east London area.
We have dealt with these issues head on without fear and have been successful in securing limited resources towards this work. The beneficiaries of this work are the many many individuals and their families who have been supported through the desperate situation they unfortunately found themselves in with respect and dignity.
We make no apology for this work.” Chair of the Indian Sub-Continent Affairs Sub Committee of Sikh Council UK, Cllr Gurdial Singh Atwal said, “The Sikh Council UK initially took the position of seeking full disclosure as the desired outcome when the documents relating to 1984 were accidentally disclosed by UK government in January 2014. As it currently stands myself and others are supportive of both an independent public inquiry into the role of the then UK government and an international inquiry into the Sikh genocide.
The Sikh Council UK is committed towards establishing the truth and will continue to support all credible endeavors which seek to establish the truth about 1984, justice for the victims and the formal recognition of the Sikh genocide.
Since the publication of Sir Jeremy’s report and the initial discussions, the UK government has thus far refused to engage in any further discussions towards agreeing a process (such as an independent public inquiry) towards this outcome.”
Secretary General of Sikh Council UK Gurmel Singh added, “The Sikh Council UK has been set up to act out of a paradigm of courage and hope. Its culture is to maintain relationships, engage in dialogue, build networks and coalitions in the best interest of the Panth.
The Board of Jathedars, with representatives of all major Jathebandis present have specifically asked Sikh Council UK to build dialogue with all agencies including where appropriate and necessary
The UK’s General Election has resulted in a Parliament without any elected representatives from the Sikh community for the first time since 1992 the country’s largest Sikh body has claimed.
Whilst over 20 Sikh candidates that we are aware of (including six Conservative, five Labour, five UKIP, two Lib Dem, one Green and one National Liberal Party) stood to become MPs, the majority were fighting in seats where they were unlikely to win and the Sikh Council UK is concerned that not a single Sikh MP was elected in this General Election. Sikh Council UK Spokesperson, Gurinder Singh said, “The Sikh community in the UK is one of the largest in any diaspora country.
Sikhs are a community that is well settled in every geographic part of the UK and are well represented in every aspect of UK society other than as elected representatives.”
In the last parliament there was only one Sikh MP, Conservative Paul Uppal of Wolverhampton South West. He re-stood but lost the marginal seat to Labour.
Parliament should reflect and look like the communities it represents and serves. The Sikh community has been established in the UK in significant numbers for well over half a century.
The relationship and shared history between Great Britain and the Sikhs goes back significantly further with a significant period being the Sikh contribution during the two World Wars.
“It is a significant concern for the Sikh community that not a single Sikh MP was elected on May 7th. This is a matter that should be of concern to all of the political parties too.
The last time when there wasn’t a Sikh MP in Parliament was in 1992 and this situation is a significant step backwards,” he added. Although black and ethnic minority (BME) communities have traditionally largely backed the Labour Party, the Sikh Council UK is concerned that parties should not take historic voting patterns for granted.
“Most Sikhs have historically voted Labour,” he said. “This is the same as all BME communities and is likely to have been the case in this election. However, out of all the BME communities, research shows that the Sikh and Hindu communities are moving away from the Labour Party at a slightly higher rate than other communities at successive elections with the trend likely to have continued this time too.”
A survey taken from 1,000 respondents in March found that 40% of Sikhs were undecided on which party they would vote for. Britain is home to between 600,000 and 800,000 Sikhs with about 500,000 eligible to vote. Sikhs form part of a politically active community with 2 in 3 people voting in the 2010 general election. He added, “Sikhs are responsible citizens who generally exercise their vote. The Sikh Council UK has encouraged Sikhs to register to vote and to use their vote.
The Sikh Council UK has engaged with the two main political parties over the last two years and will once again be setting out a political engagement programme designed to increase Sikh representation at all levels.
5 th April 2015 Sikh Council UK Executive Committee meeting took place in Ramgarhia Sabha, Coventry
11th April 2015 Representatives of Sikh Council UK attended the Vaisakhi in London event at City Hall organised by Ernest and Young Sikh Network / Singh Sabha Gurdwara Sahib, Barking and the Mayor of London.
During April the following local meetings have been held as part of the Sikh Council UK Engagement Programme Roadshow:
Saturday 4th April 2015 Gurdwara Nanaksar, Southampton
Sunday 5th April 2015 Ramgarhia Sikh Gurdwara, Slough
Saturday 11th April 2015 Ramgarhia Family Centre, Coventry
Sunday 12th April 2015 Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Northampton
Sunday 12th April 2015 Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Hitchin
Saturday 18th April 2015 Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Seven Kings
Sunday 19th April 2015 Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Reading
Sunday 19th April 2015 Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Southall
Topics covered included local priorities and the Voter Registration campaign.
16th April 2015 Ernest and Young Sikh Network hosted a live televised Panth Time in the Ernst & Young offices in the City of London with an all-female panel including Paramjit Kaur Matharu Managing Director, Global Indirect Tax Head at JPMorgan Chase and also Chair of European and International Affairs Committee of Sikh Council UK and Balvinder Kaur Sandhu General Secretary, Khalsa Aid and also Chair of Community Safety Committee of Sikh Council UK.
22nd April 2015 representatives of Sikh Council UK attended a London Boroughs Faith Network meeting with Scotland Yard for a briefing regarding safety for places of worship
Campaigns:
Following the recent announcement by the examining board, AQA, that they will cease offering Punjabi as a qualification at A-level in 2017 a campaign group including involvement from Punjabi language providers, Sikh schools, Sikh media, Gurdwaras, Jathebandis and Sikh Council UK has been established. As part of the campaign to reinstate A-level Punjabi and to increase uptake of GCSE and A-level Punjabi, Sikh Council UK has been tasked with liaising with politicians, AQA and other bodies. In order to raise awareness a petition, letter writing campaign and Sikh media work is ongoing. A paper is being produced which will detail the community response to the AQA decision as well as an action plan approach for community action to address concerns and to increase uptake of GCSE and A-level Punjabi. A draft version will be widely circulated in due course for community comments.
A film entitled ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ was strongly objected to by the Sikh community and eventually withdrawn from showings in the UK following dialogue between the film producer and Sri Akaal Takhat Jathedar Sahib.
Sikh Council UK had issued a statement concerning the broader issue of depiction of Gurus, their families and historical Sikhs in films and in works of art.
Sikh Council UK has been approached by some members to engage with the Sikh Chaplaincy Service in prisons with a view to addressing concerns in relation to expectations of the users of the services and the community.
Sikh Council UK supported the campaign led by BSCF for requesting removal of Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar for potential inclusion in the World Heritage List.
An approach was made to UNESCO asking them to remove the details from the tentative list. However, UNESCO responded that whilst the site of Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar is included on the tentative list put forward by India since 2004, there is no current consideration for its inclusion on the World Heritage List nor have they received any such application for it to be considered. It was also confirmed that inclusion of sites in India for the tentative list are put forward by the Indian State and only they have the right to request removal of sites.
Media interaction was coordinated by a media consultant employed for this purpose and coverage
obtained included:
BBC News Online – Article is live: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-32118832
BBC Asian Network – News Bulletin: This ran every hour from 6am – 10pm on their
3minute news bulletin, mentioning Sikh Council UK
BBC Hindi – News Bulletin: This ran on their 3minute news bulletin, mentioning Sikh
Council UK
BBC World Service – News Bulletin: This ran on the news bulletin, mentioning Sikh
Council UK
Asian Image – Article is live:
http://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/11888593.Sikh_Council_welcomes_change_to_law_all
owing_turban_in_all_worlplaces/
Sikh Siyasat – Article is live: http://sikhsiyasat.net/2015/03/30/uks-new-employment-lawenables-sikhs-to-wear-turbans-in-all-workplaces/
Sikh News 24 – Article is live: http://www.sikh24.com/2015/03/30/uk-law-now-allowsturbans-in-all-workplaces/#.VRmogzvF9Hg
Quartz (Business blog) – Article is live: http://qz.com/372692/sikhs-in-the-uk-have-wonthe-right-to-wear-their-turbans-to-work/ – The blog has 137k twitter followers
Time of India – Article is live: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/other-news/End-ofturban-trouble-in-UK/articleshow/46776325.cms
Liberation Monde – French website:
http://www.liberation.fr/monde/2015/03/31/royaume-uni-les-sikhs-autorises-a-porter-leturban-quel-que-soit-leur-travail_1232215
India Economic Times: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-andimmigration/new-uk-law-allows-turban-in-all-workplaces/articleshow/46762438.cms
Chandigarh Tribune: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/world/new-uk-law-allows-turbanin-all-workplaces/60967.html
Below are some details put together by Sikh Council UK as a guide on processes/ requirements of some of the roles that can be taken up in building civic influence. Getting involved locally in impacting the national picture.
1. Magistrates/JP’s
More commonly known as magistrates, Justices of the Peace in England work purely on a volunteer basis. The majority of cases in Wales and England are dealt with by magistrates, who hear cases in local courts involving minor criminal acts that can result in up to one year in prison or fines up to £5,000.
While there are no specific formal qualifications to become a justice of the peace in England
(they are assisted in court by a legal adviser), applicants must be between 18 and under 65
years of age (Magistrates must retire at 70 and are normally expected to serve for at least 5
years) and possess certain personality traits. Candidates must satisfy the Lord Chancellor that
they meet six criteria:
-Good character; (not found guilty of a serious crime, not found guilty of a number of minor
offences not banned from driving in the past 5 to 10 years, not declared bankrupt)
-Understanding and communication;
-Social awareness;
-Maturity and sound temperament;
-Sound judgement;
-Commitment and reliability.
Because of the need to maintain public confidence in the impartiality of the judiciary, people
who work in certain occupations (for example, police officers) cannot become magistrates.
Time off for magistrate duties
Magistrates need to be in court for at least 13 days, or 26 half-days, a year.
Employers are required by law to grant reasonable time off work for magistrates.
Magistrates are not paid for their services. However, many employers allow time off with pay
for magistrates.
If they do suffer loss of earnings they may claim a loss allowance at a set rate. They can also
claim allowances for travel and subsistence.
Process
Magistrates are recruited by local Advisory Committees in each region.
Recruitment takes place at different times from area to area, so it is important to check when
it is happening in your area ( local Advisory Committee)
Preparation and training
Before deciding whether or not to apply, candidates need to visit a magistrates’ court to
observe the magistrates sitting.
They will need to visit at least once (but preferably two or three times) when it is sitting in
general session, in the 12 months before they apply.
Once they have been selected, all magistrates take the judicial oath – the same oath as that
taken by judges.
They are trained before starting to hear cases and throughout their careers as magistrates, and
are appraised regularly.
2. School Governors
Almost anyone over 18 years of age can become a governor. There are no particular
qualifications or requirements, other than a willingness to give time to the role and a capacity
for working with other people. Governors serve for terms of four (4) years and are drawn
from across the whole community. They are people with an interest in education from all
walks of life who simply want to make a contribution.
There are different categories of governor:
Parent- elected by parents of children at the school
Staff- elected by the school staff and usually includes the head teacher
Foundation- those appointed by the church or trust which supports the school
Local Authority- those appointed by the Local Education Authority from political parties
and the community
Co-opted- appointed by the school governing body for their particular interests or
experience, or to represent a section of the community, such as local employers
Sponsor- appointed by the governing body at its own discretion from amongst individuals
who provide services to the school
The type of governor you will become depends on your situation; however all governors have
the same roles and responsibilities once part of the governing body.
To be an effective governor you need to:
-Have an interest in education, schools and young people;
-Be able to listen to other people’s views, to discuss them and then to form your own
judgments;
-Be willing to support the decisions taken by the whole governing body;
-Have time to play your full part in the work of the governing body;
-Be willing to learn;
Process:
If anyone is interested in becoming a parent governor, application forms are available from
the child’s school.
If they wish to become a local education authority (LEA) governor or a community governor,
candidates are usually required to download an application form using the links provided in
the local authority’s websites.
3. Queens Honour’s
Honours exist to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements. There are always
fewer honours than people who deserve them and because they are rare, they should
be reserved for people:
• who have changed things – especially by solid, practical achievement
• whose work has brought distinction to British life or enhanced the UK’s
reputation in their area or activity
Candidates need to have shown one or both of these characteristics to be eligible for
an honour.
Honours are open to all and are given to people from all walks of life and sections of
society who have made a difference to their community or field of work. This can
include long-term voluntary service, improving life for people less able to help
themselves or displaying moral courage and vision in making and delivering tough
choices.
Nominations are particularly welcomed for ‘local heroes’ who are well respected by
local people and who have made a difference in their neighbourhood. Over half of all
awards go to people who are putting something extra into the community on a
voluntary basis. They could be charity volunteers, members of the emergency services or
Armed Forces, industrial pioneers or specialists in various professions.
All nominations for honours are treated in the strictest confidence. The person to be
nominated should not be informed as it would not be fair to raise expectations in case
they are not met; only 1,350 honours awarded on each occasion, twice a year, and
there are many thousands of nominations received.
Who can be nominated for an honour
Nominations for the Honours List can be made by private individuals or by representatives of
organisations. Anyone can nominate a person for an honour, provided that it is for service to
the community and is not a self-nomination.
Each nomination is considered on its merits so, if you want to nominate someone for an
honour, you should be sure that there are substantial objective reasons for doing so.
How to nominate someone for an honour
If you wish to nominate someone for an honour, you can obtain an Honours nomination form
from:-
Honours and Appointments Secretariat
Cabinet Office
Ground Floor
Key Dates
1 st March 2015 Spokesperson and Head of Operations participated in the first of the monthly update programmes designated to Sikh Council UK by Akaal Channel TV
5th March 2015 Representatives of Sikh Council UK attended an event organised by Department of Communities and Local Government, ‘The Victoria Cross Commemorative Stones Project, Service of Remembrance of Victoria Cross recipients form the First World War’. A representative attending the event from the Sikh National Museum, Derby was asked to speak to introduce VIP guests in attendance.
9 th March 2015: As one of the first of its kind a roundtable discussion meeting took place between the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and Sikh representatives at their request to discuss issues of concern to the Sikh Community.
The agenda of the meeting included the following:
24th March 2015: A follow up meeting with DCLG to discuss Child Sexual Exploitation concerns was attended by the Chair of Community Safety along with representatives from other Sikh organisations.
10th March 2015: Representatives of Sikh Council UK attended a national event to bcommemorate the centenary of the second battle of Neuve Chappelle organised by The Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemens’ Association. The event was addressed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as well as other prominent Ministers.
7 th March 2015: A meeting of the Board of Jathedars took place at Ramgarhia Sabha, Milton Keynes.
24th March 2015: Representatives of Sikh Council UK met with a newly appointed
Coroner in North Yorkshire following a request to make local links as part of anintroductory meeting.
25th March 2015: Representatives of Sikh Council UK attended the Vaisakhi in arliament event organised by British Sikh Consultative Forum (BSCF) in liaison with All Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs and hosted by the Speaker of the House of Commons. The Secretary General was one of the speakers at the event.
Key Issues Sikh Free Schools Sikh Council UK welcomes the increase of publicly funded Sikh Free schools across the country and appreciates the dedication and hard work of individuals and communities in bringing theses about.
Sikh Council UK has been contacted by a number of local groups who were due to open schools in September 2015 with information that due to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) not procuring sites in good time the opening of the schools have been deferred for a year. Sikh Council UK is aware of five such cases across the UK.
This is clearly a big disappointment for local communities and the teams behind the bids not least because procuring the site is a responsibility of the EFA – an agency of the Department for Education (DfE). Sikh Council UK has written to the Secretary of State and Minister of State at the DfE to express our concerns about the delays in signing funding agreements with Akaal Primary School, Derby and the Seva Secondary School, Coventry. Response received indicates that on satisfying additional conditions the Seva Secondary School funding agreement could be signed for September 2015 opening but the Akaal Primary School, Derby still requires securing of a permanent site first.
Royal Assent for the Deregulation Bill Amendments to existing employment laws that enables Sikhs to wear turbans in all workplaces has been approved by Parliament and received Royal Assent.
This follows a successful campaign by Sikh Council UK and other Sikh groups to address a loophole in the law, which led to turban-wearers facing discrimination in the workplace.
Employment laws had exempted turban wearers from the requirement to wear a safety helmet on construction sites since 1989. But the exemption did not apply to less hazardous environments, such as factories and warehouses.
The Employment Act 1989 effectively created an anomaly which allowed Sikhs to wear turbans, in place of safety helmets, in environments where there was a high risk of head injuries, but the exemption did not extend to relativel
There will still be limited exceptions where safety helmets will be required, such as for specific roles in the armed forces and emergency response situations.
Meeting with SGPC 20th March 2015 Sikh Council UK Administrative Secretary and Spokesperson took advantage of an opportunity that arose to meet with SGPC President, S. Avtar Singh Makhar with guidance from the Secretary General as to topic areas prior to the meeting. This came about during their unrelated private visits in Panjab through personal contacts. During the meeting the structure and work of Sikh Council UK was introduced to SGPC.
Some aspects of the discussion included:
[1] The desirability of SGPC (and other historical Sikh Institutions) to understand and acknowledge the great deal of good work being carried out across the world by Sikh organisations in a variety of fields. To demonstrate this details were given of SCUK work including specifically the legislation for exemption for turban wearing Sikhs from having to wear safety helmets in workplaces but also the casework regularly engaged in,
the mixed marriages guidance, the work of the various sub committees etc. Also detailed were some other Sikh organisations and the work they are carrying out in the UK including Khalsa Aid, Sikh schools etc.
[2] The desirability for SGPC (and other historical Sikh Institutions) to support the work carried out by SCUK and others and to respect that in the UK, Sikh related issues will be led on by UK based Sikh organisations including SCUK.
[3] That SCUK can be available as a resource to advice and research on Sikh related issues in relation to the UK.
The representatives also took the opportunity to thank S. Avtar Singh Makhar for the assistance the SGPC provided to Bhai Inderjit Singh during his trip to India to examine the issue of Sikh prisoners. A short discussion was held on the issue of Sikh prisoners.
Since their return it has come to the attention of the Sikh Council UK that there have been reports in some media that the representatives requested S. Avtar Singh Makhar to establish ‘International Sikh Centre’ in other countries similar to that being established by SGPC in USA. This is not true – no such conversation took place during the meeting nor were either of the representatives aware of any such centre being established in the USA or elsewhere. In any event this matter has not been discussed within the Sikh Council UK to pros and cons of such centres for the diaspora Sikh community. It is clearly the case that the UK Sikh community would be best placed to determine local needs in light of the culture and politics of the host country.
Local Roadshow Events
Sikh Council UK is holding a series of roadshow meetings across UK in engaging with local Sangat, residents, business people, parbhandhaks and its members in each area on a range of topics including:
local aspirations for the next 10 years for British Sikhs
Community Safety issues including protection of Sikh Identity
Raising the British Sikh profile in the community and in government led establishments
Enhancing political engagement to influence change
Voter Registration prior to the General Election
Other issues of importance to the participants……
The following meetings have taken place during March 2015:
Saturday 7th March 2015 Ramgahria Sabha Milton Keynes
Saturday 14th March 2015 Singh Sabha Gurdwara Nottingham
Sunday 15th March 2015 Gurdwara Guru Arjan Dev Ji Derby
Sunday 15th March 2015, Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara Leicester
Saturday 21st March 2015, Guru Har Rai Gurdwara, West Bromwich
Sunday 22nd March 2015 Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick
Saturday 28th March 2015, Guru Granth Sahib Sabha Gurdwara, Glasgow
Sunday 29th March 2015 Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Glasgow
Thus far the meetings have been constructive and very informative. The aim is for Sikh Council UK to visit 30 towns by end of June 2015. Voter Registration
As part of the Sikh Council UK theme of work ‘Building the Sikh Vote and Influence’, Sikh Council UK has launched a voter registration drive prior to the General Election. Following changes in voter registration procedures to individual registration, it has been estimated that in excess of 15% of voters are no longer on the voter register in some areas. The impact is worse within ethnic minority communities and amongst young people.
The Electoral Commission has funded publicity material which is being circulated to Gurdwaras
and Sikh organisations. Voter Registration has formed a key element of the local roadshow
events. Copies of publicity materials is attached.
