Somerset Council is to pursue legal action to remove an arms company from one of the council's commercial investments in Bristol.

The council currently holds a number of commercial investments, the majority of which it inherited from the four district councils which were abolished in April 2023.

These investments include the offices at Aztec West 600 – near junction 16 of the M5 – which are occupied by Elbit Systems UK, a defence contractor.

The council has been targeted repeatedly by the pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action, which disrupted a key executive committee meeting in February (along with two other meetings) and has repeatedly defaced the outside of County Hall in Taunton.

The full council voted in Bridgwater on Tuesday afternoon (April 23) to "explore all way of legally evicting Elbit UK, or otherwise to dispose of the property", in line with the other commercial investments which are being sold off to balance its budget.

Councillors also voted to give "moral and ethical considerations" equal weight when making any future commercial property investments – an approach which was criticised by Conservative councillors.

Elbit Systems UK has subsequently stated that all activities from its Bristol base are geared towards supporting the British army and are not related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.

Cllr Brian Smedley introduced the motion, arguing that getting rid of Elbit and the offices in question would end the council's "potential complicity in the ongoing conflict in Palestine",

He said: "I've been arguing this position since 2020 when Sedgemoor District Council made the investment.

"I urged at the time that all our investments should be ethical and ideally local. In 2020 the district council obtained the Aztec West building; I did not have a vote on this but I spoke against this.

"The district council knew the risks. In 2020 there wasn't the current level of carnage that we see today.

"The sale of arms to Israel has to end now. Israel needs to live in peace with its neighbours, and Palestine must be free."

Cllr Shane Collins seconded the motion, stating: "We have a problem that is not of our making. This is a legacy investment which we are trying to get rid of.

"This motion opens the way to look at legal routes for the eviction of Elbit.

"There is evidence of illegal or immoral activity here, and I think in our heart of hearts we are all disgusted at what is unfolding in Gaza and the continuing of arms sales to the Israel Defence Force.

"It is worth asking what we would do if we had a Russian company making arms in a Somerset property."

The council is currently reviewing its entire property portfolio, selling off commercial investments where necessary in order to balance its books, with the proceeds being used to fund front-line services.

The council's property and investments executive sub-committee voted on April 15 that it would write to Elbit Systems UK to request an urgent meeting over the future of Aztec West, with a report on the council's legal position due to come back before this sub-committee at its next meeting.

Council leader Cllr Bill Revans – who also opposed the investment while sitting as a district councillor – said: "We are very, very acutely aware that many of our residents are passionately upset that we have this in our commercial holdings.

"This motion gives us a route through to explore whether there is a legal route to eviction and to divest this property. We do not intend to hold this property in the long term."

The council has been provided by legal advice from the Public Interest Law Centre on legal routes towards evicting Elbit, but this was still being considered and analysed at the time which the motion was being debated.

Numerous councillors – mostly belonging to the Conservative opposition group – said they supported the eviction of Elbit or the sale of the property, but warned that making moral decisions on future investments would set an unwanted precedent.

Cllr David Fothergill said: "I would like to have clear legal advice that we're not setting a policy which is hamstringing our pensions fund.

"This could have implications on other parts of the council's business – for example, we have business centres with EDF in them and county farms where our farming practices are debated."

Cllr Peter Seib concurred: "If we were to attempt an eviction, it could be tested against us, and that would be an expensive process for both parties.

"I cannot defend what is happening in Israel – that is horrid. But to take people who work in Bristol and associate them with the Israeli goverment's choices – I think we are acting without evidence of wrongdoing, on an emotional basis, and I think this motion is premature."

Cllr Diogo Rodrigues added: "The principle for me is that once you decide to evict a tenant because you don't like what they're doing or saying, that opens the door for you doing it to others. What confidence does that give to Somerset businesses?

"I feel very uneasy about that message. Businesses should be free to do as they wish within legal parameters."

Other councillors argued that the council needed to take a strong moral stance against the Israeli government's actions since October 7.

Cllr Martin Dimery said: "We past a motion at the last full council to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Was that not an ethical and moral decision?

"The tenancy agreement states that the tenants shall not do anything which is not illegal or immoral. I would contend that we have had nuisance and damage, and what may be done would be considered by an international court as illegal."

Cllr Caroline Ellis agreed, stating: "We are supposed to have values as politicians, and these extend beyond Somerset.

"People need to know what kind of a council we are, and we care not just to our own children but those on the other side of the word. This is a probable genocide."

Lib Dem councillor Stephen Page – in his first contribution since winning the Somerton by-election – said: "There is a time where you have to stand up for what you believe in.

"Evil happens when good people do nothing. The council should stand up and make a moral decision about this."

The motion passed by a significant margin, with only five voting against and eight abstaining.

Following the vote, Elbit Systems UK issued a statement clarifying that it provides equipment to the British army and that "nothing from the Aztec site goes to the IDF", branding any direct links with Israel as "grossly misleading".

A spokesman said: "We continue to invest and expand our range of services in the United Kingdom, providing critical support and advanced technology to the British armed forces from Aztec West 600 and other sites across the country."

Somerset Council has been approached by the Local Democracy Reporting Service for further comment.