SOUTH Gloucestershire Council is taking action this week to combat and raise awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking.

The council has adopted a new modern slavery policy and endorsed an action plan to help combat the practice in and around the county, making the announcement to mark Anti-Slavery Day, which was on Wednesday.

The policy commits the council to training its staff to recognise the signs that people may be subject to slavery conditions and to take steps to ensure that organisations and businesses it deals with are also upholding standards in workforce welfare.

Modern slavery is described as taking various forms, including slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and may involve human trafficking; all situations that involve a person’s liberty being controlled by another in order to exploit them for personal or commercial gain.

Research carried out by the Home Office in 2013 estimates the number of potential victims trafficked into the UK was between 10,000 –13,000 but only 1,746 were referred to national authorities. By 2015 this had risen to 3,266 potential victims being referred.

Councillor Heather Goddard, Cabinet Member for Tourism and Communities, said: “Modern Slavery is a very serious crime. It is a violation of fundamental human rights with no place in the 21st Century, but the reality is that it still exists. As a council we are committed to playing our part in stamping it out."