Bradford Council has unveiled its new plan to tackle inequalities both internally and across the district.

The Council hopes to make its workforce more representative of the wider community.

It also wants to make sure its services and information are accessible to all, and does not discriminate against certain groups.

And the Council will from now on be treating people in poverty as a minority group.

Deputy Council leader Imran Hussain (Lab) said the move showed the Council was taking the issue of fighting inequality seriously.

At a meeting of the Council’s executive, he said: “I have said this on many occasions, but these are not box-ticking exercises. This Council takes very seriously its duty towards tackling inequalities.”

Coun Hussain said by treating people in poverty as a ‘protected group’, the Council was doing far more than it was obliged to do.

He said: “We are required by legislation to have an equality plan. However, we feel we have gone over and beyond what is required.”