This Bradford Plan brings together key public sector organisations in Bradford including Bradford Council, Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, West Yorkshire Police, the University of Bradford and the new West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, and includes aims, objectives and policies to break down barriers facing those from ethnic minority backgrounds seeking promotion, whilst encouraging talented ethnic minority individuals from outside the organisation to put themselves forward for senior leadership roles.
The plan also follows a decades-long mission by Mr Hussain, started whilst serving as Deputy Leader of Bradford Council ten years ago, which successfully boosted ethnic minority representation amongst senior roles within Bradford Council, and was recently accelerated by the challenges created by ethnic minority representation in decision making roles during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
Unlike many other diversity plans, the Bradford Plan aims to accelerate representative diversity amongst senior roles rather than diversity in organisations as a whole, and recognises that if those in the organisations who are making key decisions are more representative, service delivery will be more effective. As a whole, it does not advocate positive discrimination, but policies to eliminate discriminatory recruitment and promotion practices, whilst breaking down barriers that underrepresented groups face in putting themselves forward for promotions to senior roles.
Speaking on the launch of the Bradford Plan for Ethnic Diversity in Senior Roles, Imran Hussain, MP for Bradford East said:
“After many months of hard work alongside Bradford’s key public sector organisations delivering important services throughout the District, I’m delighted that we’ve launched the Bradford Plan and that I’ve got a firm commitment from Bradford’s key public sector organisations to ensure that the next generation of leaders and senior post-holders are representative of the people that they serve.
“Sadly, even in a place as diverse as Bradford, whilst those in lower-level roles are often over-represented by those from ethnic minority backgrounds, they are badly underrepresented at the top of the managerial chain, with those making important decisions for so many people in Bradford failing to be representative of those that they work hard for.
“For me, this work is the culmination of a decades-long aim of ensuring that organisations that serve people in Bradford properly look like people in Bradford, and this aim gained new momentum during the Coronavirus Crisis where we saw public sector organisations unable to properly reach out to residents.
“Given the challenges laid bare by the Coronavirus Crisis, ongoing health inequalities, educational divides and the soaring cost of living, increasing diversity amongst those that make the big decisions in public services isn’t just important to create representative role models and show kids growing up in Bradford that they can aspire to more, but also vitally important to ensure that the services which are delivered are appropriate and effective.
“In the coming months and years, I’m very much looking forward to seeing these action plans submitted by each of Bradford’s key public sector organisations take shape, and looking forward to seeing barriers broken down, with the next generation of leaders nurtured and encouraged to put themselves forwards for promotion within these organisations so that we get diverse leaders elevated to senior roles based on their merits.”
Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council said:
“We are determined to ensure Bradford is a place where every individual can fulfil their potential, whatever their background. It’s a matter of basic social justice that every person should be able to succeed according to their talents and efforts without discrimination or prejudice.
“I am therefore pleased to support the objectives outlined in the plan. What’s more, we know that services excel when they are staffed by diverse people who properly reflect the communities they serve.”
Chief Inspector John Toothill, Positive Action Lead at West Yorkshire Police said:
“I am committed to ensure the police are better equipped to serve our communities, in order to achieve this we need to increase the ethnic diversity within the force as well as in senior leadership roles. This will lead to greater trust, confidence, and legitimacy.
“Working in partnership, sharing and receiving best practice can only assist us in this quest. Being a Bradford lad it is great to see the City at the forefront of positive change.”
Mel Pickup, Chief Executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“Bradford Teaching Hospitals has a workforce of over 6000 people and we are proud that we represent the community we serve, with a third of our workforce from black, Asian and minority ethnic heritage. But we have more to do to ensure this is consistent across every level of the organisation, which is why we are taking measures such as reciprocal mentoring and ensuring that every recruitment panel has diverse membership.
“I am particularly pleased that we have Saj Azeb as one of our two Deputy Chief Executives, bringing his insights and lived experience as a member of the south Asian community. We will continue our work to be an organisation that is diverse, inclusive, and representative at every level”.
Professor Udy Archibong, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Bradford said:
“I am delighted to have witnessed the launch of the Bradford Plan for increasing ethnic diversity representation in senior public sector roles last Friday. As the chair of the Bradford Equalities Group which brings together partners from organisations within the City, I welcome this symbolic moment to showcase our joint commitment to facilitating the change required to deliver against the Plan.
“The Bradford Plan comes a few days after the University’s achievement of the Race Equality Charter (REC) Bronze Award. Our contribution to the city-wide plan is embedded in our REC five-year action plan which underpins our work to advance race equality for our staff and students. The Plan aligns with our university’s anti-racist journey. It represents a recognition of our commitment to race equality and of the foundations we have laid for delivering change and making a difference. We welcome this opportunity to work with colleagues across the district to build momentum towards our anti-racist vision, to be innovative in our implementation of actions to address structural inequalities, and to work with the university community to co-create and enable a climate for inclusion where we can make our diversity count.”
Alina Khan, Vice Principal for Equality Diversity and Inclusion at Bradford College said:
“Our vision at Bradford College is ‘working together to transform lives.’ Last July, we launched our number one strategic objective to be a truly inclusive college and drive engagement in equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) at all levels of the organisation.
“Bradford College sits at the heart of the diverse district of Bradford. Meeting the needs of our students can involve a complex formula of actions, coaching, and initiatives. Being genuinely inclusive involves making conscious steps to ensure that every learner, staff member, and stakeholder feels valued and a part of our Bradford College community.
“The Bradford Plan will ensure parity and equity in our processes, particularly those involving staff recruitment from under-represented groups and supporting career progression. This strategy will help meet ambitious targets set for the next three years and drive positive cultural change across the district.”
