“DIVERSITY and equality is, and should be, in the DNA of Wokingham Borough Council. I see no reason why any part of society should be prejudiced.”
That’s the pledge from council leader John Halsall as he spoke in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
He said that in the light of the international outcry over the killing of George Floyd in the United States, and the subsequent protests in the UK, the council is strengthening its commitment to tackle racism.
It wants to hear from the community about experiences of race and racism and also if there are any monuments, place or road names which cause offence.
And Cllr Halsall has highlighted the council’s BME Forum, which he says is set up to be a critical friend and advisor to the council and a strong voice for the black, Asian and minority ethnic community. It has been in place for about 18 years and is regularly consulted by the authority.
“We have a proud record of tackling racism through our work with the BME Forum and of celebrating the BAME community’s contribution to our society and history during the annual Black History Month events,” Cllr Halsall said.
“But we recognise that, like others across the world, we can do even better and we are committed to doing so.
“We will do this with our established BME Forum and by listening to everybody in our community.”
As part of this, the council intends to launch an online portal so that residents can share their experiences.
Ramnik Saund, chair of the BME Forum, said: “The tragic slaying of the unarmed black American George Floyd by police in Minneapolis has once again raised the inequality and injustice that exists in society. This has provoked anger around the world.
“Wokingham BME Forum has worked in partnership with the Council to encourage the adoption of policies that treat everyone equitably, fairly and without discrimination.
“This sad event has created an urgency to act and the Forum is encouraged by the Council’s commitment to removing racism. It welcomes the initiative to remove such relics in public, which may cause offence to the heritage of BME communities. The Forum supports the Council in its endeavours to promote equality and remove racism. It is committed to working with the Council to achieve this.”
This was also welcomed by executive member Cllr Parry Batth, who also serves as vice-chair of the BME Forum.
“The Forum has been a strong champion for the community for more than a decade and I know we will be able to work with it and other groups in the community to gather a wide range of experiences and views,” he said.
“We are particularly interested to know if there are any monuments, place or road names that cause offence so we can open up a proper debate on this issue.”
Speaking to Wokingham.Today, Cllr Halsall added: “We want to try and identify any problems and we will do something about it.
“The borough is an eloquent and educated place, we want to celebrate diversity, and not be complacent.”
He also pledged there would be zero tolerance should any councillor express any racist behaviour.
