Birmingham 2022: Community groups 'positive' after Games grievances aired

Andy Street said "frustrations" had been aired during the meeting

Communities in Birmingham are "determined" to make the Commonwealth Games a success, the mayor says, despite "frustrations".

Games organisers have faced criticism that not enough has been done to engage with diverse groups.

On Wednesday, a meeting was arranged involving organisers and local community groups.

Metro Mayor Andy Street says there is a "shared endeavour" to make sure people benefit from the Games long term.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games are being held in and around Birmingham with the opening ceremony taking place on 28 July.

Mr Street said the meeting had gone "really well" with faith groups and communities from across the region represented.

He said concerns had been raised that "incredible good intent" at the launch of the plans "hadn't been delivered on" with fears that the "community engagement" had not had the same emphasis as other areas.

"I would describe it as a very honest meeting, so some frustrations about what has gone on were aired, but overall everyone is determined to make a huge success of this for Birmingham and the West Midlands. And with 90 days to go there are so many opportunities for all communities to be involved," he said.

He added organisers were committed to making sure opportunities are there.

The opening ceremony is due to take place in July at the revamped Alexander Stadium

Amrik Singh Ubi, vice-chairman of the Birmingham Faith Leaders Group, said the meeting was "really positive".

"The spirit of the meeting was all about what is it we are going to do, rather than what we should have done," he said.

"There is an acceptance on both parts that we need to do more. There was a realisation that if we are on the same page and reading the same documents we can do a lot more."

He said there was a discussion around building an 80-day action plan outlining what can be done from a faith perspective and by the organisers.

Annie Hess, from Birmingham 2022, said there were still opportunities for community involvement through the festival and legacy programme.

"We hope that based on the feedback this morning we can incorporate more ideas and suggestions into that," she said.

Aftab Rehman, director for Legacy West Midlands, had raised concerns that money from the Games was not filtering into the parts of inner-city Birmingham which needed it.

He said "we have missed that boat" but added the focus now needed to move on to the legacy programme.

"That's where, hopefully, big investment will come and hopefully that is where the support will come for community groups and organisations from that," he said.

Beverley Lindsay, chairman of the association of Jamaican nationals said: "I am positive that we will get some positive projects and some positive delivery."