Liverpool City Region: Landmark strategy to create ‘leading anti-racist region where people feel safe, valued and listened to’

• Liverpool City Region Anti-Racism Strategy unveiled
• Produced with more than 200 local organisations and 500 people

• Strategy sets out shared vision for dismantling systemic racism, strengthening trust and celebrating the contribution of members of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities
• Lived experience at heart of strategy
• Mayor Steve Rotheram said: “This strategy is not about warm words or good intentions – it's about setting a clear, shared direction.”

Liverpool City Region's new Anti-Racism Strategy was unveiled today with a clear vision to dismantle systemic racism, strengthen trust and celebrate the contribution of members of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

Created with more than 200 local organisations and over 500 individuals, including community groups, public sector, grassroots activists, educators, businesses, and residents from every borough, the strategy marks a significant step in the City Region's commitment to become a fairer, more inclusive and more equitable place for everyone.

The Anti‑Racism Strategy sets out a shared vision to:

• Challenge and dismantle systemic racism across public services, education, employment, and community life.
• Strengthen trust and transparency between institutions and the communities they serve.
• Amplify the voices of people with lived experience, ensuring they remain central to decision‑making.
• Support organisations to take practical, measurable action to create more inclusive environments.
• Celebrate the cultural, social, and economic contributions of the City Region's Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:

“This strategy is not about warm words or good intentions. It is about setting a clear, shared direction for the Liverpool City Region. It recognises that racism is not only about individual behaviour, but about systems, structures and outcomes - and that tackling those challenges takes sustained leadership and long-term commitment.

“This work is also about the future we want to build together: a Liverpool City Region where everyone feels they belong, where talent is not wasted, and where opportunities are not limited by race or background.

“If we get this right, we have the opportunity to make our City Region a place where anti-racism is not just talked about, but delivered - visible in our institutions, embedded in our culture, and felt in people's everyday lives.”

Alison Navarro, Liverpool City Region Race Equality Hub Programme Director, said:

“I am hugely grateful to the individuals and organisations who have taken the time to create this Strategy with us, particularly the group of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community members who shared their lived and professional expertise. Previous attempts to tackle racial inequality have failed to bring about real change. Accountability and momentum, building on the skills, knowledge and experience of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities will be key to the success of this strategy.

“We have collectively produced a framework outlining what is required to tackle racism and we now need leaders from across our Region to create their own approaches that introduce proactive anti-racist action within their own organisations.”

A central element of the strategy is its robust governance, designed to ensure accountability, sustained progress and continued community influence.

The Liverpool City Region Leadership Forum, which brings together more than 50 City Region leaders from across the public, private and voluntary, community and faith sectors, will act as the custodian of the Anti‑Racism Strategy, taking responsibility for championing our Region's long‑term anti‑racism ambitions and overseeing delivery across partner organisations.

As custodian, the Leadership Forum will:

• Oversee and steer delivery, ensuring activity remains aligned with the strategy's vision and priorities.
• Champion anti‑racism across the region, embedding its principles into leadership, planning and decision‑making.
• Monitor progress and hold institutions to account, guided by transparent reporting and evidence‑based reviews.
• Ensure communities remain central, reflecting the co‑creation process that shaped the strategy.

To support this work, the Forum will be advised by a dedicated Reference Group of individuals and organisations who were pivotal in shaping the strategy. This group will:

• Provide lived‑experience insight and challenge, ensuring delivery stays grounded in community realities.
• Highlight gaps or concerns where more action is required.
• Help shape future priorities, keeping the strategy responsive as new issues emerge.

Together, the Leadership Forum and Reference Group form a governance partnership that balances leadership, accountability and meaningful community involvement.

The Combined Authority will be asked to approve the Strategy at its meeting on Friday 6 March 2026.

If it receives Combined Authority approval, the Strategy will be formally launched at an event in early summer this year, which will also celebrate the work of the Combined Authority's Race Equality Hub.