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| Segregation in British cities goes beyond ethnicity | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| I might be more impressed by Ted Cantle’s call for action to tackle growing ethnic segregation across the UK (Ethnic divide in British cities grows rapidly, 2 November) had he not been party, during his years as chief executive of Nottingham city council in the 1990s, to the destruction of the then balanced community of Dunkirk and Lenton. In our case, a mixed community fell victim to private landlords, and the university and city council were happy to see most of the family housing in the area turned into student housing. | I might be more impressed by Ted Cantle’s call for action to tackle growing ethnic segregation across the UK (Ethnic divide in British cities grows rapidly, 2 November) had he not been party, during his years as chief executive of Nottingham city council in the 1990s, to the destruction of the then balanced community of Dunkirk and Lenton. In our case, a mixed community fell victim to private landlords, and the university and city council were happy to see most of the family housing in the area turned into student housing. |
| The road I lived on went from 23 family homes circa 1990 to just three by the time my wife and I left Lenton in 2014 for Beeston, a few miles away. We were unable to stay because there was nowhere for us to downsize to or we could afford to buy. It was a case of history repeating itself, because back in 1966 I left Wembley, London, because private landlords were forcing house prices up so they could buy houses to rent out. As first-time buyers at the time, we bought our first house in Harrow, a few miles away. | The road I lived on went from 23 family homes circa 1990 to just three by the time my wife and I left Lenton in 2014 for Beeston, a few miles away. We were unable to stay because there was nowhere for us to downsize to or we could afford to buy. It was a case of history repeating itself, because back in 1966 I left Wembley, London, because private landlords were forcing house prices up so they could buy houses to rent out. As first-time buyers at the time, we bought our first house in Harrow, a few miles away. |
| “White people” move on, more often than not, because they are forced to by local councils (many Labour-controlled, and I say this as someone in the party since joining in 1960 as a Young Socialist) and private landlords. | “White people” move on, more often than not, because they are forced to by local councils (many Labour-controlled, and I say this as someone in the party since joining in 1960 as a Young Socialist) and private landlords. |
| Ethnicity is not the issue, it’s all about affordability (and remains so for many). It happens to suit politicians and extremists to turn housing and community into a race issue (for the record, I am half-Irish and only 8% of my DNA is “British”). | Ethnicity is not the issue, it’s all about affordability (and remains so for many). It happens to suit politicians and extremists to turn housing and community into a race issue (for the record, I am half-Irish and only 8% of my DNA is “British”). |
| Cantle’s take on the demise of “balanced” communities is flawed and conveniently ignores the impact of other issues, including the creation of student ghettos and the closing of local schools. I could go on, but I suspect many other readers will have similar stories they can tell. | Cantle’s take on the demise of “balanced” communities is flawed and conveniently ignores the impact of other issues, including the creation of student ghettos and the closing of local schools. I could go on, but I suspect many other readers will have similar stories they can tell. |
| By way of a footnote, in 2013 Nottingham city council finally brought in HMO controls to curb private landlords buying houses in parts of the city, including Dunkirk and Lenton, trapping the few homeowners remaining by depressing house prices. | By way of a footnote, in 2013 Nottingham city council finally brought in HMO controls to curb private landlords buying houses in parts of the city, including Dunkirk and Lenton, trapping the few homeowners remaining by depressing house prices. |
| It is an ongoing story in which Cantle has played a part. If he had had the wisdom and foresight in the 1990s to listen to community activists such as myself, he could have been part of the solution instead of the problem.Robert HowardBeeston, Nottinghamshire | It is an ongoing story in which Cantle has played a part. If he had had the wisdom and foresight in the 1990s to listen to community activists such as myself, he could have been part of the solution instead of the problem.Robert HowardBeeston, Nottinghamshire |
| • Sadly, Ted Cantle has got it right. Divisions are growing in Britain. To add to this, the post-Brexit world has created fresh divisions and a new crisis of belonging. Yes, we have to find new ways of talking about the richness of our diverse society. And yes, “the focus of policy needs to shift”. | • Sadly, Ted Cantle has got it right. Divisions are growing in Britain. To add to this, the post-Brexit world has created fresh divisions and a new crisis of belonging. Yes, we have to find new ways of talking about the richness of our diverse society. And yes, “the focus of policy needs to shift”. |
| My own work shows what schools can do to bring communities together: how they can create understanding and that sense of belonging that values and appreciates different cultures, beliefs and identities. Yet, current policy debates – such as on grammar schools – are ignoring what really matters in our schools.Kathryn RileyProfessor of urban education, UCL Institute of Education | My own work shows what schools can do to bring communities together: how they can create understanding and that sense of belonging that values and appreciates different cultures, beliefs and identities. Yet, current policy debates – such as on grammar schools – are ignoring what really matters in our schools.Kathryn RileyProfessor of urban education, UCL Institute of Education |
| • Prof Ted Cantle is right that community integration is important and needs to be worked at. Years of austerity haven’t helped in that regard. This said, the criteria used in his latest report are puzzling. I live in Tottenham, which is one of the most diverse areas – culturally and ethnically speaking – in Europe. Most of the non-white citizens are UK born and bred. That is not always so true of the white population. So what? They are all welcome here.Keith FlettLondon | • Prof Ted Cantle is right that community integration is important and needs to be worked at. Years of austerity haven’t helped in that regard. This said, the criteria used in his latest report are puzzling. I live in Tottenham, which is one of the most diverse areas – culturally and ethnically speaking – in Europe. Most of the non-white citizens are UK born and bred. That is not always so true of the white population. So what? They are all welcome here.Keith FlettLondon |
| • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com | • Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com |