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Black, Minority Ethnic Housing Strategy for North Wales

In September 2002, the Welsh Assembly Government published a Black, Minority Housing Action Plan for Wales. This requires all social landlords in Wales produce a Black, Minority Ethnic Housing Strategy by April 2004. The six counties of North Wales (Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Gwynedd and Wrexham) have combined to produce this Regional Strategy.

We believe there are enough similarities between each county in the region to warrant a common, regional framework.

These similarities are:

A Black Minority Ethnic population which is diverse, isolated and dispersed
A very low percentage of BME people compared to the rest of the UK.
Little history of settled migration by BME people in pursuit of employment. A diverse community, a significant number of which are professionals, business people and students.
No significant numbers of asylum seekers or refugees.
A general lack of awareness of BME issues in the overall population and in local authorities and other institutions.
Local authorities with under-developed policies, strategies and awareness.

As part of this regional strategy, each authority has its own Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Action Plan. This is because there are some differences in the ethnicity of each county, and in local conditions that make an individual action plan necessary. There are also differences in the degree to which each authority has, so far, achieved its race equality strategy. Flintshire and Wrexham Housing Departments, for example have had equalities strategies for some time, and their respective action plans reflect this.

It is also important for each authority, its staff and elected members to take on the ownership of a strategy that tenants and residents can relate to and to which it, the authority and its elected members are accountable.

In producing this strategy, we are mindful that equality and diversity does not only include ethnicity but it includes disability, gender, religion, age and sexual orientation. In this respect, where relevant, some references will be made to equality and diversity and not just race.

This is not to deflect from the overall purpose of a BME Strategy, but is intended to avoid exclusion of other groups in our community who are marginalised. North Wales Police have a diversity agenda that includes issues of sexuality and have expressed a wish for our strategy to be as inclusive as possible.

Black, Minority Ethnic Housing Strategy for North Wales