The Commission on Race Equality (CoRE) Bristol
To address the causes and effects of race and ethnicity discrimination in Bristol, Bristol’s Mayor, Marvin Rees, established. The Commission on Race Equality (CoRE) in 2016. The need for this Commission is long-standing but now, as we move into a new era of post Covid-19, the Bristol Mayoral Commission on Race Equality (CoRE) can play a critical role in furthering race equality in Bristol.
Today, the current awareness of the impact of Covid-19 on Black and Minoritised communities, the global reaction to the murder of George Floyd, and the toppling of the statue of Colston provides a context in which recognition of racial injustice is at its highest for many years. It is against this background that CoRE must provide leadership in addressing structural and systemic racism.
Black South West Network (BSWN) provides the Secretariat function for the Commission.
Meet the Chair
Museji Ahmed Takolia CBE
Museji is no stranger to Bristol. At the age of 27 he arrived to establish the first Race Equality Unit at the City Council and later went on to become a senior civil servant at the Cabinet Office (2000-2004) where he led government wide reforms. He was appointed CBE in H.M. Queen’s 2011 New Year’s Honours. A graduate of the universities of Cambridge (Homerton College), Bristol and The School of Public & International Affairs, at Princeton USA (Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow), he has had a highly diverse career spanning community organisations, local government, central government, and national public bodies. His voluntary and community work includes sitting on the boards of The Centre for Employment & Enterprise Development (CEED) Charity; Ruskin College, Oxford; the Ethnic Minority Foundation; NHS regulator and inspector, the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI); OFSTED; Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and others. Museji has been appointed by the Mayor to serve a 3 year term.
Meet the Commissioners - HERE
Task & Finish Groups
Economy (Employment & Enterprise)
The economy group considers employment and enterprise in relation to race by scrutinising the recruitment, retention and progression practices of employers from all sectors in terms of Black, Asian and minoritized employees and the importance of meaningful support for local businesses and business owners.
The health and wellbeing group are focused on empowering the community to access and take full advantage of the city’s (mental) health and wellbeing services, provisions, and resources; promoting the use of community-centred/led data in decision-making as an industry standard/ best practice; and influencing and interrogating the commissioning of health (and mental health) and wellbeing services, provision, and procurement in the city.
The education task and finish group aim to address race disparity within the city relating to the Education to be achieved by focussing on academic achievement; special educational needs & disabilities; school exclusions; curriculum; representation; career information advice & guidance; as well as social, emotional, and mental health provision
The Criminal justice task and finish group was re-established May 2021 with the aim to address race disparity within the city relating to the Criminal Justice System to be achieved by focussing on the Avon & Somerset Lammy Review; training; representation; community engagement; commissioning; and strategic Planning
This group focuses on developing regular community engagement opportunities so that CoRE’s accountability is maintained, and it is being checked as a substantively representational bridge between power bases, influencers, decision makers, and our communities.
Bristol CoRE News
Find out more on the official Race equality noticeboard