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Ethnic minority groups feel unheard by Kirklees
Ethnic minority groups across Kirklees feel ignored and unheard by the council, a meeting held today revealed.
Representatives from ethnic minority community and voluntary groups accused Kirklees of failing to consult them properly ahead of this year’s budget meeting, due to be held next Wednesday,
But the meeting was cut short when people furiously demanded council leaders come and answer their concerns.
The community consultation at the Al-Hikmah centre, Batley, was organised by racial justice and civil liberties group Just West Yorkshire, and was attended by about 25 people from various community groups.
They demanded another meeting, insisting that council leader Mehboob Khan and Kirklees’ chief executive Adrian Lythgoe attend.
Fakhara Rehman, of the Kirklees Faiths Forum, said: “Did the council decide to hold this meeting? No.
“The decision is being made next week and we haven’t been consulted.”
Despite the two council officers present promising to take this message back to the council, Kirklees Council was criticised for ‘squeezing North Kirklees’ in its budget cuts and failing to talk to community leaders ahead of next week’s full council meeting.
Former community liaison officer Mohammed Afsar said: “Call a meeting with the council leader, get the six local councillors here and let’s talk to them.”
On the panel at the meeting were two council officers, Oxfam project officer Archana Choksi, Saied Laher of the South Asian Consortium Kirklees and Fakhara Rehman.
For the full story and updates see next week’s News.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 6 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
yorkshireman
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 04:57 PMI think minority IS the correct word to use, your paranoia may lead you to believe whites are a minority, but it is obviously not the case, inane comments like that do nobody any favours. The headline is a bit sensationalist, nowhere in the article itself is it mentioned that the problem is the council not listening to the ethnic minority, but as RD350LC the actual grievance seems to be Kirklees Council not giving North Kirklees a say. The other posters seem to have missed this important bit. Posts such as these lead me to believe that people are not being to objective when they post.
flopsey
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:16 PMIm curious as to the amount of people that have an opinion on this, but will not say anything for fear of of been labled as a 'racist'. Far too often, people are branded as racist for voicing an opinion, usually, because the minorities dont get what they want. Is it wrong to say that this is the Western World, and the west is very different to the east. I really dont have a problem with people of a ethenic background, so long as these people accept the Western ways. If not, then why choose to be here? I suppose someone will brand me racist............
g73
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 01:37 PMi think minority is the wrong word to use in dewsburys case, unless your talking about white people.
Iwona S
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:40 AMMy non-EU wife wanted to train as a teacher, or rather, have her foreign teaching qualifications recognised in the UK. We looked round for funding alternatives, including an approach to the Local Education Authority, where a certain Mr Patel without a hint of irony stated that only AfricanAfro-Carribean, Indian sub-continent and Chinese people were authorised to receive ethnic minority funding towards teacher training. He also stated that he had recently turned down an Uzbek, because he was the wrong sort of ethnic minority. Racism, pure and simple.
RD350LC
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:07 AMI think the relevant line in that is"Kirklees Council was criticised for ‘squeezing North Kirklees’". Nothing to do with being part of a minority, but everything to do with not being in the Huddersfield area so therefore ignored by the Huddersfield centric council that occupies the Heavy woollen district
flopsey
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 08:44 PMUnheard!!!! Most of Dewsbury's councillers are of ethenic background.
Page 1 of 1
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