FUNDING OF EALING RACIAL EQUALITY COUNCIL

That this House notes that Ealing Racial Equality Council has been a beacon in the field of race equality and community cohesion since 1964 and that its work over the past 40 years has been widely acknowledged by Select Committees and other Government reports as having made a significant contribution to social justice; recognises that Ealing is the second most diverse borough in London, has some of the most deprived communities in the country and is concerned that Ealing Council's emerging priorities and strategies for dealing with matters of community cohesion and equality have confused the fact that racial equality is a precondition to the attainment of cohesion and harmony, as evidenced by the recent High Court judgment against Ealing Council involving Southall Black Sisters where Lord Justice Moses said, `there is no dichotomy between the promotion of equality and cohesion and the provision of specialist services to an ethnic minority'; further notes that Ealing Council's recent change in its funding criteria has adversely affected black and minority ethnic groups, particularly Ealing Racial Equality Council and has brought it to the point of closure and the loss of its valuable role and services to the local communities; commends the continued leading role of Ealing Racial Equality Council in promoting equality, cohesion and human rights; and calls on Ealing Council urgently to re-examine it priorities and make suitable provision to support the work of the Ealing Racial Equality Council.