Ethnic minority council workers in Manchester, England are more likely to be sacked or suspended than their white counterparts

David Ottewell:

More than a third of staff dismissed from the city council last year were non-white - even though black and minority ethnic (BME) workers made up just 13.3 per cent of the total workforce. And more than 20 per cent of suspensions in the past four years have been from black, Asian or other minority communities.

The figures came to light after a request from a member of the public under the Freedom of Information Act.

The number of BME staff who faced disciplinary hearings in 2004 was 25, or 14 per cent of the 178 total hearings. But the number who went on to be dismissed was 11 out of a total of 31 - a much higher proportion at 35 per cent. Eight of those sackings were in the second largest department, children, families and social care.

Five of those dismissed were black, two Bangladeshi and two Pakistani. The others were classified as mixed-race white and Asian and "other African" respectively.

The proportion of BME workers suspended of all suspensions was 19 per cent in 2004 (164 out of 861), 23.9 per cent in 2003 (32 out of 314), 22.5 per cent in 2002 (31 out of 138) and 22.3 per cent in 2001 (25 out of 112).

The council had 2,066 BME staff in 2004 out of 15,517 workers.

Sue Murphy, the council's executive member for human resources, said any claims that disciplinary procedures were biased were "nonsense".

She said: "Manchester city council has a proud history of celebrating diversity and has a policy of encouraging the employment and development of black staff. Personnel issues are treated on an individual basis and within well established guidelines."

The council has cross-party record of promoting positive race-relations and this year appointed its first Asian lord mayor, Afzal Khan.

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