A new panel set up as tackle racism and discrimination has met for the first time.
The Greater Manchester Race Equality Panel brings together a set of experts and leaders from across the city region’s diverse communities.
The panel’s 24 members were welcomed by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Councillor Brenda Warrington, leader for Age Friendly Greater Manchester and Equalities, at a meeting last week.
They were chosen for their skills, knowledge, connections into their communities and their willingness to use their own personal experiences to challenge and support public services to tackle systemic inequalities, racism and discrimination.
Mayor Andy Burnham announced a plan to create the panel in 2019 but recruitment was delayed partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Greater Manchester’s leaders promised to speed up progress as part of their response to the Black Lives Matter movement this summer.
Applications were invited in September and October and 163 people expressed their interest.
The panel’s remit will include,educational inequalities and achievement,employment and labour market inequalities,financial inclusion and poverty,hate crime and preventing discrimination,health and wellbeing inequality and housing and homelessness, including hidden homelessness
Mayor Andy Burnham said: “We had a very high quality field of applicants for this panel and the 24 people chosen have all already made a real difference in their communities through tackling racism and discrimination.
“We have not been good enough making the changes that are needed to eliminate discrimination and ensure fairness.
“This panel will now be a platform to bring about further more substantial change and to turn our words into actions.
“The panel will provide challenge and support so Greater Manchester can achieve its goal of being a place where all voices are heard and where, working together, we can shape our future.”
Brenda Warrington, leader for Age Friendly Greater Manchester and Equalities, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement have shone a light on the long-standing inequalities and discrimination that exists in our society.
“We have to do more to increase equity and to improve relationships across our communities and with public services.
