First Among Equals

Only two of the top 58 highest paid positions at the Labour run City Council are held by people from black and ethnic minorities and yet at the lowest end of the scale, black and ethnic workers make up a third of all the authority's staff - This is simply not right says Councillor Parmjit Singh Gill.

Parmjit Gill, who is the Lib Dem Councillor for Stoneygate Ward and is a member of the task group which is examining this issue. He said in local press, 'It simply can't be right that in a city like Leicester, where at least 40 per cent of people are from an ethnic minority, barely any of the (council staff) senior positions reflect this.' He added, 'A few years ago the authority had a poor gender balance with not enough women in some of the more senior positions. That was remedied and is now more or less equal. The council was able to address that, yet we still have an authority where black and ethnic officers struggle to progress.'

A report from the task group which will be put before the council's cabinet next week will include a recommendation that a strategic director will be selected to be an equality champion for the authority.