Issue - meetings

It was moved by Councillor Roscoe, seconded by Councillor Friel and after a debate it was unanimously:

RESOLVED: That

Sefton Council commends survivors and the families of the ninety-seven fans who lost their lives as a result of the Hillsborough disaster for their three-decade campaign for justice. 

Council also notes that Kevin Sampson’s recent drama for ITV, Anne - considered a masterpiece by many - has highlighted once again the fact that, despite the ninety-seven having been unlawfully killed, to date no individuals or organisations have been held accountable for their deaths.

Council further notes that the impact of the campaign of lies, smears and propaganda orchestrated by South Yorkshire Police in 1989 and promoted by willing politicians and media continues to this day, with far too many members of the public even now parroting discredited lies about the behaviour of Liverpool fans in attendance at Hillsborough on 15 April 1989. 

It is not surprising to Council that many families of the ninety-seven and Hillsborough survivors have expressed despair at this continuation of lies about Hillsborough.

Sefton Council therefore undertakes to support the ‘Real Truth Legacy Project’ led by Ian Byrne in conjunction with many Hillsborough families and survivors. This is a campaign which seeks to ensure that current and future generations learn the truth about Hillsborough, and to ensure that schoolchildren in Liverpool City Region initially have access to a definitive account of the disaster and the subsequent cover-up. 

Council hereby notes its support for a key element of The Real Truth Legacy Project which is to have education about Hillsborough added to the National Curriculum, including a dedicated “Hillsborough Day” in the Liverpool City Region, to take place on the nearest Friday to the anniversary of the tragedy on 15 April each year.

The Hillsborough Day would see every Liverpool City Region primary and secondary school taking part in a special assembly to mark the anniversary and to learn more about the disaster, the cover-up and the fight for justice through dedicated teaching resource packs made available to every school in the city region by local education leads.

For the sake of past and future generations, this is something Sefton Council feels it must get behind and calls on all Councils in the Liverpool City Region and beyond to add their support to the Real Truth Legacy Project.