Dear Councillor [Insert Councillor’s Name],

I am writing to you as a resident of [Your Town/Borough, e.g., Reading, Wokingham, Slough] and a concerned local taxpayer. I urge you, in your capacity as a leader within our council, to ensure that our community's public funds are not invested in companies complicit in the violation of international law and Palestinian human rights.

Our local authorities in Berkshire have a direct financial connection to this issue through the Royal County of Berkshire Pension Fund. This fund, which invests the pensions of thousands of local public servants, holds assets in numerous companies. It is imperative that these investments align with our community's values and our nation's obligations under international law.

Currently, many Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) across the UK, including potentially our own, have investments in companies that:

Supply military equipment and technology used to enforce the illegal occupation of Palestinian land.

Operate in and profit from illegal Israeli settlements built on occupied territory.

Provide services and infrastructure that sustain the illegal separation wall and the crippling blockade of Gaza.

The situation for Palestinians remains dire. The UN has described the decade-long siege of Gaza as a form of "collective punishment," leading to a catastrophic collapse of the economy, health services, and access to clean water. This is not a distant foreign policy issue; it is a matter of ethical and financial responsibility for our council. Our pension fund should not be profiting from actions that cause such immense human suffering and violate international law.

As a key decision-maker for [Your Council], you have a vital role to play in ensuring our council upholds its fiduciary and ethical duties. I call upon you to:

Initiate an immediate and transparent review of the Royal County of Berkshire Pension Fund's investment portfolio to identify all holdings in companies complicit in violations of international law in Palestine.

Publicly advocate for and instruct fund managers to divest from these complicit companies, aligning the pension fund with an ethical investment policy.

Strengthen the council’s procurement policies to exclude companies identified as being involved in human rights abuses from being awarded council contracts.

Issue a public statement committing our council to the principles of ethical investment and human rights, sending a clear message that we will not be silent or complicit.

Taking these steps will ensure that our local taxes and pension contributions are used for the betterment of our community and are not used to support oppression and injustice abroad.

I look forward to your response and to learning what actions you will take on this important matter.

Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address, including Postcode]