Issue - meetings

Race Relations

Three ways in which the Council was actively involved locally and nationally in promoting harmonious community relations at the present time were announced:-

a)         Councillor Willmott referred to a meeting that he and the Chief Executive had attended in London, with 11 other Local Authorities, to discuss race relations issues in the light of the recent unrest in Oldham, Bradford and Burnley.  The meeting was attended by Angela Eagle, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Barbara Roche, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, Gurbux Singh, Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality and Sir Jeremy Beecham, Chair of the Local Government Association.

b)         Councillor Willmott reported that the City Council was about to receive a visit form the Community Cohesion Task Force, as an Authority with examples of good practice in race relations.

c)         Councillor Willmott reported that a member of staff in the Social Services Department, as a result of their expertise and experience,  had been seconded to the Home Office to co-ordinate a helpline in relation to the recent terrorist attacks in the United States.