Voters in London will be able to give their views on the Government’s plans for a new race equality strategy when a new regional ‘road show’ reaches the capital next month.
Communities Secretary Hazel Blears attended the first of the events in Manchester last week. Seven other events will be held as follows:
Cambridge Tuesday 7 April
Nottingham Thursday 9 April
Leeds Tuesday 21 April
Newcastle Thursday 23 April
Birmingham Tuesday 28 April
Bristol Thursday 30 April
London Thursday 7 May
Officials at the Department of Communities and Local Government say the events will give local communities “the chance to have their say on how best we can accelerate the move away from a ‘one size fits all’ approach to race equality.”
Participants are also being promised the chance to “raise issues they feel need to be addressed”.
Speaking at the first event in Manchester Hazel Blears said: “Every individual should have equal rights and equal responsibilities, with a fair chance to rise as far as their talents will take them, but it is now clear that we can’t simply rely on more of the same to make this happen. That is why we are holding these listening events all across the country – we want to hear what people have to say on this really important issue – Government can not and should not do this on it’s own.
“Equality is sometimes seen as a minority concern. But no-one should feel left out of the debate, because everyone has a role to play in making this country, fairer and stronger. We have come a fair distance but still have a long way to go if we are to become the society of equal choices, justice and opportunity that we have it in us to be.”
Copies of the report Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society, together with the progress reports which followed it are available on www.communities.gov.uk/communities/publications/strategies-and-plans/.
