Inverclyde Council is in the running for a Scottish local government award for its work examining historic links to slavery.

The council has been named as a finalist in the ‘Strengthening communities and local democracy’ category at the 2023 COSLA Excellence Awards.

Over the past few years, the council has been working with a range of partner organisations, community groups, and individuals to examine Inverclyde’s historic links to the transatlantic slave trade and how they should be remembered.

A group was established to take forward the project, examine key themes in closer detail, and investigate appropriate reparations.

To date, there have also been various public consultations, including listening events; an extensive audit of places and buildings with features or links to slavery; and a greater focus on education about black history, culture, and anti-racism messages in schools and the wider community.

The strong message coming back from the community was that the focus should be on education and ensuring that the community is fully informed about the issues that have influenced Inverclyde’s past and present.

The council-run Watt Institution, incorporating the McLean Museum and Art Gallery, Watt Library, and Watt Hall, has played a key role in the project and has secured a £230,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support the de-colonisation of the museum collection.

Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “This is welcome recognition for the hard work that has been done to date by council services alongside many partner organisations and individuals to explore the area’s historic links to slavery and ensure they are appropriately acknowledged in as inclusive and representative a way as possible.

“Inverclyde has a rich history and produced people who have changed the world so there is much cause for celebration but that heritage also includes parts that have, until recently, been too often hidden or not spoken about.

“That’s why the links to slavery project have been so important; it has shone a light on those parts of our history as part of our reparation and to ensure people are properly informed about that.”

The project has also involved work on the Gourock coat of arms, which is regarded as having racial imagery, with a crest to be removed where practical, or information provided alongside it to inform people about its background.

More local events and activities have also taken place during Black History Month, in October, including at the Watt Institution and the Beacon Arts Centre, and a new heritage trail and abolitionist plaque are being developed to highlight links to slavery in Inverclyde’s towns and villages.

Inverclyde Council is one of three local authorities shortlisted for the ‘Strengthening Communities and Local Democracy’ prize with the winner to be announced in September.