VALE Royal Borough Council has commissioned the second stage of its Hidden Voices of Vale Royal project, looking at improving community relations.

The project was launched in 2004 and aims to consult and involve Cheshire's minority ethnic communities in the evaluation and planning of public services.

The second part of the project will build on the previous work to help council chiefs and police to improve community relations, provide services free from discrimination and harassment, create a safer Vale Royal and giving ethnic minorities increased confidence to reporting racial incidents.

Cllr Val Godfrey, the borough council's lead councillor for equality and diversity, said: 'Promoting a society where no one is marginalised or disadvantaged for economic, social or cultural reasons is our goal.

'We must understand the needs of the different communities in Vale Royal to ensure that public services are appropriate for everyone.

'The Hidden Voices of Vale Royal project will empower communities and individuals to make their voices heard, which will help improve the quality of life in Vale Royal.'

n If you would like to voice your experiences, opinions or concerns, or would like to hear more about the project, contact JAF Consultants Ltd on 07785 264021 or e-mail enquiries@jafconsultants.co.uk, Angela Doe on 01606 867545 or Mark Watson on 01244 613262.