A MEMORIAL to local soldiers from the Commonwealth who died in the two World Wars could soon be created in Bradford.

At a meeting today, Bradford Council’s Executive will discuss a recent review of the District’s monuments - which began last year.

In the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter movement, cities and towns across the UK looked to into the backgrounds of figures who had been celebrated by monuments or statues.

In Bristol a statue of Edward Colston, who made his money from the Slave trade was pulled down by protestors.

A review of monuments in Bradford found that there were no statues of people directly linked with the slave trade in the District, but decided the Council should do more to “improve understanding” of Bradford’s history.

An update on the review will be discussed by the Executive today, when members will be urged to support work to create a new memorial to local Commonwealth soldiers, in addition to the District's existing war memorials.

Details of what type of memorial this would be, or where it would be located, have yet to be decided.

Other suggestions in the report include creating a “hall of fame” for notable Bradford figures, a new “migrations gallery” that would focus on how the District has been shaped by those who arrived here from abroad and a “Stories of Bradford” exhibition to link up with the 2025 City of Culture bid.

Review of Bradford's statues and monuments paints picture of district's past

A national report by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission published earlier this year found that hundreds of thousands of black and Asian soldiers who fought for the Commonwealth in the two wars had not been commemorated in the same way as their white British comrades. It found that at least 116,000 – but possibly up to 350,000 troops from Africa and Asia were not commemorated by name - or commemorated at all, with racism a major factor in this.

The report going to Bradford Council suggests that in future public realm schemes “consideration of any new permanent statues and monuments to better reflect the diversity of the District.”

It calls for the “Creation of a new visitor destination as part of the redevelopment of City Hall, which tells the ‘Stories of Bradford.’”

The Council’s new Museums Strategy should: “ incorporate telling the District’s story of diversity and the role of colonialism in our industrial heritage as a permanent feature of museum exhibitions across the District.”

Councillor Sarah Ferriby, Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “Bradford Council has gone further than many other Councils in responding to the events of last year, commissioning this review of our statues and monuments and ensuring that the history they represent is better understood.

“Now we want to take this work even further and encourage all communities across the district to get involved by sharing their stories and nominating their local heroes for recognition.

“The District has global connections.

“Much of our wealth is built on the waves of migration who have help to build our district centuries. The stories of our diverse origins will be a key theme of our bid to be City of Culture 2025.”