UK Race and Europe Network and JUST Yorkshire would like to invite you to a round-table discussion about the issues surrounding race equality in Rotherham.

As you may be aware, the UK government has been undertaking an audit of public services to expose gaps on race equality. Findings were published in October on the government website: www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk The data from the Race Disparity Audit has highlighted numerous inequalities in education, employment, housing, criminal justice and health. Growing levels of inequality in Rotherham over the past sixteen years have made it an area of significant interest. Rotherham has moved from the thirteenth district with the greatest inequalities in 2001 to the third district in 2011. Furthermore, Rotherham rose from nineteenth to eighth district with the worst employment inequalities between 2001 – 2011 (Runnymede Trust report, 2011).

We want to hear your thoughts on ethnic inequalities and the changing nature of Rotherham by asking you to contribute to answering these questions at a round-table discussion:

• Why is there a large disparity between certain ethnic minority groups and others in education, work, housing, criminal justice and health in Rotherham?
• What can society (NGOs, community, local and national government and service providers) do to lessen the disparity?

As well as Rotherham, we will be hosting round-table discussions in Sheffield, Bristol and Lambeth in London, as other key areas that show worsening inequalities.

Your views will be anonymously recorded – no one will be identified. A report will be published and presented to government. UKREN has a good relationship with the Race Disparity Audit team at the Cabinet Office and we hope to have a discussion on our findings with representatives from government departments in January.

Please get in contact with Alan Anstead at UKREN if you have any questions about the roundtable discussion. We hope that you can give your knowledge and experience to this initiative.