Senior representatives of Manningham Housing Association (MHA) have welcomed Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin to their Bradford head office to talk about the organisation’s work and her campaign to be West Yorkshire’s first directly-elected Mayor.
Batley and Spen MP Tracy Brabin (front centre) with MHA staff and board members in Bradford
MHA Chief Executive Lee Bloomfield and Vice Chair Abdul A. Ravat gave Ms Brabin a socially-distanced presentation outlining the history of MHA including its recent achievement in becoming the first housing association in the country to be officially accredited for its success in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
They also detailed examples of MHA’s commitment to local partnership working through its Community Investment Strategy and explained the proactive role it plays in tackling the unique challenges faced by its Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) residents.
Founded in 1986, MHA manages more than 1,400 homes for over 6,000 tenants in Bradford and Keighley. Around 80 per cent of MHA tenants are of South Asian origin.
Lee Bloomfield, MHA Chief Executive, said: “We have engaged with all of the mayoral candidates through our membership of the West Yorkshire Housing Partnership and it was a pleasure to meet Tracy, discuss our work and learn more about her policy ideas.
“There is a major shortage of good quality affordable homes in Bradford and Keighley, with a particular need for more large family properties.
“As a trusted and respected local housing provider, MHA is keen to play our part in delivering the many additional affordable homes local communities here require.
“The election of a West Yorkshire Mayor presents a gilt-edged opportunity to make progress on an issue that successive Governments in London have sadly failed to address.”
Tracy Brabin MP said: “Manningham Housing Association is one of the exemplars of how we support Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities.
“It’s about larger properties and making sure that there is housing stock across Bradford – I know they have ambitions to widen out across West Yorkshire.
“This is work that’s very much on my radar, particularly as someone who grew up in social housing.
“I understand the value of a secure home and how you can then flourish, not worrying that you’re going to be made homeless at any moment.”
Abdul A. Ravat, MHA Vice Chair, said: “I have known Tracy for some time and was delighted that she chose to visit MHA during her busy campaign.
“I am a strong advocate for devolution which should lead to better informed decision-making and enhanced political accountability at a local level.
“The directly-elected Mayor will be a powerful voice for West Yorkshire who can deliver real change and improve life chances in some of the most deprived parts of the region including Bradford and Keighley.
“25 per cent of the community across West Yorkshire is BAME and in Bradford it is between 40 and 45 per cent.”
The West Yorkshire mayoral election will take place on Thursday 6 May.