The formation of an all-inclusive Sikh representative body could help address some of the issues raised in the Lord Ouseley's damning report of race relations in Bradford, according to a Sikh leader.

Ramindar Singh, a former deputy chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, spoke about race relations in the city and the challenges facing the 8,000-strong Sikh community in Brad-ford at a meeting on Saturday. He called for immediate action to be taken in light of Lord Ouseley's report, which examined race relations across the district, and criticised Bradford Council for not responding to its findings quicker.

Mr Singh said: "Bradford is facing serious issues and we want to bring the whole of the Sikh community together. If we look into our own organisation it is two centuries out of date.

"We need to modernise it and let in more women and young - if not then we do not have much future. We need to create a Sikh body which will represent our views so we can give our opinion on the report.

"We want to prioritise the concerns of our community and act upon them immediately.

"Bradford Council is slowing the action down by creating other bodies to look at the report - they should be taking immediate action and addressing the issues now."

More than 50 people attended the public debate on the impact of Lord Ouseley's report on the Sikh community at Ventnor Hall in Ventnor Street.

Mr Singh urged Sikhs living in the district to regard themselves as Bradfordians and called for people of all races to unite under the same banner. He also said that Bradford's Sikh population must learn more about other cultures and formulate an annual programme to ensure the issues raised in the report are being addressed.

The public meeting was organised by the Bradford Educational and Cultural Association of Sikhs in association with Asian Youth and Cultural Organisation.

Lord Ouseley's report, called Community Pride Not Prej-udice, was published in July and portrayed a disturbing picture of a racially divided city.