The new metro mayors will be well-placed to become integration ‘champions’ for their areas, a report has said.
British Future argued the election of mayors for six city regions across England this Thursday was a ‘major opportunity’ to address integration issues.
The think-tank claimed there had been a lack of a ‘properly-implemented integration strategy’ from central government, as well as a lack of powers at the regional and local level to promote integration between communities.
This has left what the report’s authors described as an ‘integration policy vacuum’.
The report recommended that new deputy mayors for integration should be appointed, leading an Office for Citizenship and Integration in each of the new combined authorities.
Sunder Katwala, director of British Future, said: ‘We have never put in place a proper integration strategy in this country - yet getting integration right so we live well together matters to everyone in Britain.
‘Governments need to get it right, but integration mostly happens in the towns and cities where we live.
‘The new mayors could be game-changers for integration in the six city regions that go to the polls this week – understanding the specific integration challenges of their region and with wide-ranging powers and budgets to address them.
‘Appointing a deputy mayor for integration would show that the new mayors take integration seriously and give responsibility to a high-profile individual to make it work across their region.’