Memorandum by Oxfordshire County Council
(SOC 62)
Thank you for your letter of 17 July 2003, addressed
to the Chief Executive, Dr Richard Shaw, requesting a submission
to the ODPM Select Committee Inquiry into Community Cohesion given
our local Public Service Agreement for race equality, (ie to improve
GCSE results for ethnic minority pupils).
Dr Shaw has asked me to respond on his behalf.
Pupil Level Attainment
Oxfordshire County Council recognises that our
communities are more likely to be cohesive where children from
different backgrounds have an equal chance of attaining good GCSE
grades.
During 2002-03, the percentage of pupils achieving
5 or more GCSEs at grade A*-C or equivalent was 51.5%.
Historically, Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Black
Caribbean children, in particular, have significantly under achieved.
During academic year 2000-01, the respective performance of these
groups was 27%, 32% and 35%.
The local Public Service Agreement aims to improve
this performance to at least 42%, 47% and 52% respectively by
the end of academic year 2004-05, compared to a target for all
pupils of 58%. This will represent a major improvement in relative
attainment levels. Ethnic minority communities are being actively
involved in initiatives to achieve these objectives.
For example, Oxfordshire County Council has
provided funding for African Caribbean study support; supported
the provision of weekend language schools; organised conferences
on good practice in raising ethnic minority achievement in partnership
with ethnic minority community groups; and developed mentoring
schemes for young people, including the recruitment of ethnic
minority mentors.
Regular meetings are held between senior officers
from the Learning & Culture Directorate and ethnic minority
community representatives, focussing specifically on educational
achievement. The Chief Executive has also held meetings with ethnic
minority community representatives on a similar basis.
Racist Incidents
Oxfordshire County Council has been engaged
in actively tackling racist incidents through multi-agency working
since 1989.
From 1998 to 2002, the Council chaired a multi-agency
Single Regeneration Budget Partnership, "Agencies and Communities
Tackling Racial Harassment in Oxford", involving a comprehensive
range of statutory, voluntary and private sector agencies. The
scheme's lead agency and accountable body was Oxfordshire Racial
Equality Council.
The scheme sought to provide a highly effective,
comprehensive and co-ordinated approach to tackling all aspects
of racial harassment, initially in Oxford and subsequently across
the whole of Oxfordshire, although it was an extremely small scheme
in Single Regeneration Budget terms.
Key activities included, the establishment of a central
system for reporting, recording and monitoring racist incidents;
the development of community based counselling, advice and support
services; public education initiatives; work with young people;
and a workplace consultancy service for local employers.
Quantifiable outputs included, 57,500 beneficiaries
of community safety initiatives; 150 young people benefiting from
projects to promote personal and social development; 7 people
trained obtaining qualifications; 32 pupils benefiting from projects
designed to enhance and improve attainment; and 32 businesses
advised.
Although Single Regeneration Budget funding came
to an end on 31 March 2002, Oxfordshire County Council has continued
to provide funding and support for Oxfordshire Racial Equality
Council to maintain scheme activities and multi-agency working
to tackle racist incidents.
Additional Community Cohesion Indicators
Oxfordshire County Council has a planned schedule
for asking community cohesion questions in Citizens Panel local
residents' surveys. The intention is to ask a range of questions
during the year, with the same question repeated at the same time
annually, so that any change in popular perceptions can be identified.
Oxfordshire County Council also participates
in the South East Community Cohesion Network, co-ordinated by
the Government Office for the South East.
Asylum Seekers Accommodation Centre, Piddington
near Bicester
Approval was recently granted for the construction
of an accommodation centre for up to 750 asylum seekers at Piddington,
near Bicester in Oxfordshire.
Without prejudice to its opposition in principle
to the creation of the proposed centre, Oxfordshire County Council
has agreed to tender for the provision of services, including
education and library services, to the contractors appointed by
the Home Office.
The centre has already raised concerns regarding
its possible impact on cohesive communities and good race relations.
The provision of tendered services by the Council may help to
mitigate some of these concerns due to synergies with existing
local services and the Council's commitment to promoting good
race relations. However, the costs, which the development would
be likely to impose on the local community, remain a potential
source of tension.
Of further concern is the notable recent increase
in far right political activity in and around the Bicester area.
The National Front has announced its intention to hold recruitment
rallies across Oxfordshire and to stand candidates in future local
government elections. Also, racist graffiti, swastikas and "BNP"
signs have recently been daubed on public and private property
in the area.
This is likely to present a number of community
cohesion challenges for Oxfordshire County Council and other local
public and voluntary sector agencies.
I trust that the Select Committee will find
this submission useful for the purposes of its inquiry.
Derek Bishop
Head of Democratic Services
| 
