Fire chiefs in West Yorkshire want the number of ethnic minority officers and support staff on the county's books to be doubled within the next five years.

Despite recent recruitment campaigns to attract applicants from under-represented groups, the county's full-time ranks of 1,896 boast only 12 ethnic minority firefighters. And there are just five ethnic minority support staff from a total of 103.

West Yorkshire's last major recruitment drive was in February last year. Since then new appointments have had to be put on hold due to financial constraints.

The new proposals to double the number of ethnic minority officers will be discussed at Tuesday's meeting of the West Yorkshire Fire Authority personnel and training committee.

If approved by committee members the county will aim to achieve the targets in the next three to five years.

Bradford Councillor Tony Niland, a member of the fire authority, said: "Clearly this is an issue that needs to be addressed.

"Recruiting people from ethnic minority groups seems to be a problem in any uniformed service and not just the fire brigade. We've got to try to tackle it in any way possible."

Jeff Leighton, Fire Brigades Union Secretary, said the move would be welcomed by the brigade.

"We would definitely like the brigade to be more representative of the population and that includes attracting more fire fighters from ethnic minority groups," he said.

"The brigade is now taking more steps to recruit people from under-represented groups, including women and ethnic minorities.

"In the past I think the problem has been that we've been targeting the wrong areas.

"Now hopefully the message will get across and perhaps ethnic minority fire fighters themselves can help with recruitment."

The recommendations follow recent pledges by Home Secretary Jack Straw that he is to set racial equality targets for key public services such as the fire brigade and police.

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