Racial inequalities in Gloucester highlighted in Race Commision Report
It was commissioned following the death of George Floyd in 2020
Racial inequalities in Gloucester have been highlighted in a report published by the The Gloucester City Commission to Review Race Relations.
It was set up by Gloucester City Council to review race relations in the city.
The report shines a spotlight on discrimination and prejudice and highlights the challenges racially minoritized people face day to day.
It calls for more engagement with communities to address issues that they face and to ensure local organisations are representative of the people that they serve.
The report looked at several key areas including:
- The criminal justice system
- Health inequalities such as mental health and diabetes
- Education
- Representation of raically marginalized people in senior roles across the county
It also highlighted the experiences of local people following a Call for Evidence, which asked Gloucester residents for their experiences of racism and discrimination in the city.
The Call to Evidence highlighted issues including discriminatory hiring practices by employers, a lack of access to interpreters in public services, and racist comments and micro-aggressions towards racially minoritized individuals.
The commission was lead by local businessman and social entrepreneur Rupert Walters.
It was made up of a cross-section of representatives from local communities, key organisations including the NHS, University of Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire Police and Gloucestershire County Council’s Black Workers Network, as well as councilors from all three parties.
Twelve months ago it was set up following the city council’s motion in support of the recent movement to address racism, sparked by the death of george Floyd in Minneapolis in the United States, and the council’s pledge alongside other UK organisations to look at how they could respond.
Racism exists in Gloucestershire
Some of the key findings from the report include:
- Many people from racially marginalized communities experience racism everyday
- An absence of black organisations in the county to hold other organisations to account
- An enthusiam to change
- A lack of translation services in the county
- A need to showcase more work from people from marginalised backgrounds
What's next?
Gloucester City Council will consider the commission’s report in the new year and how it will take steps to support change across the city.
Some of the actions they will consider and decide upon are:
- Acknowledge that racsim exists in Gloucester
- Establish an independent, fully-funded black organisation
- A commitment to ensure all data gathering systems are robust and accurate
- Set out a vision for a workforce representative of black and other racially marginalised individuals
Chair of the Commission, Rupert Walters, said: “This is a really important report that takes a look at a wide range of issues that are fundamental in addressing racism in our society. I hope that this will help us go some way to looking at these problems in more depth and bringing about lasting and meaningful change.”
Councillor Richard Cook, leader of Gloucester City Council, said: “I welcome the report and look forward to considering and discussing its contents in our council and with our partner agencies.”