Scottish councils still pale

Today, the Guardian has shone the light on Scottish local governance and BME representation, and it’s not looking good. Out of 1233 councillors only 17 are from BME communities and most of them from the Glasgow region.

In Glasgow the figures are neither brilliant nor shocking. But outside the Glasgow the general feeling is often, ‘we don’t have many Black people here so we don’t have a race problem'.

Without better monitoring and initiatives that not only recognise diversity but also has goals to ensure that minorities have a place around decision making tables Scotland’s democratic chambers will continually ignore talent that is literally right under their noses.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/scotland-blog/2012/may/18/scottish-councils-still-pale

Simon Woolley