Sheffield anti-racism campaigners demand more action following landmark commission report

Campaign group Sheffield Stand Up to Racism (SUTR), trade union leaders and community activists have signed a joint open statement to say that there has been a lack of progress in the council’s response to the Sheffield Race Equality Commission report. The report looked at how Sheffield should move towards becoming an anti-racist city and its findings were published last July.

The campaigners are urging the council to propose a date when a race equality legacy body to be set up to deliver upon the report’s seven key recommendations will be established. They stress the need to provide a detailed and transparent action plan, with an appropriate budget.

They also want to see a detailed plan of how key anchor organisations such as city universities, the NHS and South Yorkshire Police are going to respond to the report and meet its key recommendations.They are calling for the council to organise an open meeting where key anchor institutions, partners, third sector organisations and members of the public are invited to discuss ways to address the issues highlighted by the commission.

Signatories to the joint statement include Sheffield SUTR, Sheffield Trades Union Council secretary Martin Mayer, trade union branches South Yorkshire Unite YC&NFP, Sheffield & District NEU, Sheffield College UCU and SUTR committee members Maxine Bowler, Sohail Chauhan, Juliana Ojinnaka, Olivier Tsemo and Rafia Hussain.

The 24-member independent Race Equality Commission (REC), facilitated by the council, released its final report last July after considering more than 150 pieces of evidence and speaking to more than 165 witnessess at hearings.

Urgency

It concluded: “The perpetuation of racism, and racial disparities across sectors and major institutions in the city compel the commission to restate the urgency to instigate positive measures and improvements in organisations and among its citizenry.”

It recommended that a legacy body involving the council and other key city organisations should be set up in order to implement the changes recommended by the commission within 36 months.

Rafia Hussain from Sheffield SUTR said: “The findings of the REC report have clearly shown that structural racism and racial disparities is a serious issue prevalent in our city.“Things are definitely not going to change overnight, but tackling this problem requires a systematic approach and collective action, so that Sheffield can become a stronger city that we can all be proud of.

“The people of Sheffield are demanding a practical and transparent action plan that will help eliminate racism and racial inequality in the city.”

The report details 43 actions to be taken in seven areas covering education; health and wellbeing; community; culture; proportionality and equity in crime and justice; supporting Black, Asian and minioritised ethnic business and enterprise.

These include zero tolerance policies to be put in place by all city organisations with severe sanctions for harassment, bullying and discrimination, equality and diversity policies and robust equality and diversity controls and processes.

To see the full REC report and all its recommendations online, go to https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/your-city-council/race-equality-commission

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