New council fairness commissioner appointed

Annette Hastings, professor of urban studies at University of Glasgow, will head up the commission and appoint other commissioners over the coming weeks.

The Fairness Commission was established to investigate issues of poverty and inequality and make recommendations to the council and its community planning partners for future action.

Annette Hastings said: “I am delighted to be appointed as chair of the North Lanarkshire Fairness Commission. It is essential that the work of all community planning partners and others in the community can address serious issues of poverty and inequality. These challenges are substantial for the wellbeing of people and communities.

“The council and others have invested substantially in policies and initiatives targeted in these areas, but it is important that there is an independent examination of these. I am also looking forward to engaging with people in communities who are involved in dealing with poverty and hearing about their experiences.

“It’s clear that there is a real determination to tackle these issues, and I will be appointing commissioners over the next few weeks to take this work forward.”

Councillor Jim Logue, leader of North Lanarkshire Council, said: “Poverty and inequality blight our communities and these are issues which we take very seriously. Annette Hastings is eminently qualified to lead the commission and I have been hugely impressed with her passion and experience.

“Councillors from all parties have welcomed the creation of the commission and I’m sure, with Annette’s leadership, it will deliver a real challenge and recommendations which can make a practical difference to the work we all do.”

The North Lanarkshire Fairness Commission will meet and hear evidence throughout 2017, with a final report expected in the later part of the year.