ROAD NAMES and monuments deemed to cause offence to BME residents in Wokingham are open to be removed, according to the latest council statement.
The statement, written in response to the Black Lives Matter movement sweeping the UK following the death of American civilian George Floyd, details how the council hopes to tackle racism in the borough.
Wokingham Borough council leader John Halsall said: “We have a proud record of tackling racism through our work with the BME Forum and of celebrating the BAME community’s contribution to our society and history during the annual Black History Month events.
“But we recognise that, like others across the world, we can do even better and we are committed to doing so.
"We will do this with our established BME Forum and by listening to everybody in our community.”
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The council has detailed how, in the hopes of 'removing racism' from the community, it is welcoming residents to suggest street names, monuments and other places that are offensive to those in the BAME community they believe should be removed.
Ramnik Saund, chair of Wokingham's BME Forum, said: “The tragic slaying of the unarmed black American George Floyd by police in Minneapolis has once again raised the inequality and injustice that exists in society.
"This has provoked anger around the world. Wokingham BME Forum has worked in partnership with the Council to encourage the adoption of policies that treat everyone equitably, fairly and without discrimination.
“This sad event has created an urgency to act and the Forum is encouraged by the Council’s commitment to removing racism. It welcomes the initiative to remove such relics in public, which may cause offence to the heritage of BME communities.
"The Forum supports the Council in its endeavours to promote equality and remove racism. It is committed to working with the Council to achieve this.”
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Wokingham borough council said it is currently in the process of setting up an online portal for residents to give their experiences.
There currently is a BME forum available for residents to use, however no new posts have been uploaded since November 2019.
Councillor Parry Batth, vice-chair of the BME Forum, said: “The BME Forum has been a strong champion for the community for more than a decade and I know we will be able to work with it and other groups in the community to gather a wide range of experiences and views.
"We are particularly interested to know if there are any monuments, place or road names that cause offence so we can open up a proper debate on this issue."
To access the Wokingham BME forum, visit facebook.com/WokinghamBMEForum/.
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