SOUTHEND council could soon join a growing number of local authorities who are voluntarily publishing a statement aimed at ensuring modern slavery is not taking place within their supply chain.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday council officer Joann Ruffle discussed measures being undertaken to ensure that the council’s budget is not involved in the growing scourge.

Urging the cabinet to agree a Modern Slavery statement, she said: “This is a rapidly increasing crime across the UK. Latest statistics across the world suggest there are a quarter of a million people in modern slavery.

“It’s important that as a council we take this responsibility seriously. As an organisation with a turnover of more than £36million we are required to publish a slavery and human trafficking statement.

“In that statement we need to set out steps that we have taken to ensure modern slavery is not taking place and more importantly, in any part of our supply chain.

“With £20million being spent on supplies and services its important that we ensure this is taking place down the supply chain.”

The government currently requires commercial organisations with an annual turnover of £36million to produce a Modern Slavery statement each year. The statement outlines the actions they have taken to identify and prevent modern slavery within their business.

Councils are not included under this legislation but many are now taking it upon themselves to publish the statements. This has been encouraged by the Local Government Association which has partnered with the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland OBE, to help councils understand their role in tackling the issue.

Among several initial steps taken by Southend council, they have set up a cross-council group which meets quarterly and are supporting 57 West, a church-run community café, to set up an anti-slavery community partnership.

Council leader John Lamb said: “This is very important. Using the East End vernacular, I would shop anyone that I found was involved in any form of this crime. Slavery is going on and it is one of the worst trafficking crimes going in modern society.

“Even in our own country it goes on and it is done covertly so that we don’t always know but we need to make sure we are alert to it.”

Mr Lamb went on to encourage staff to whistleblow if they suspect anyone might be involved in the crime.

“Talking about whistleblowers, this is something that if anyone thinks they have this, should whistleblow on it and make sure they are not actively supporting it.

“When you think 10-13,000 potential victims of modern slavery in the UK in 2013 and that’s probably gone up when you see some of the things we have. It’s totally unacceptable. This statement lets us be mindful of what may go on with some of our own suppliers or where we procure we need to be aware of it.”

Del Thomas from the charity Street Spirit in Southend said the council’s steps toward a slavery statement was a positive development: “It is a big issue in Southend and I have personally have come across six or seven people caught up in modern day slavery, and that’s just me personally.

“It is a really scary problem and I think it is really good the council is looking into it.”