Birmingham 2022 chief executive Ian Reid has said the make-up of the organisation's Board would change to ensure it is more reflective of the diversity of the city and the Commonwealth ©Birmingham 2022

The Board of Birmingham 2022 is to be revamped to ensure it better reflects the ethnic diversity of the English city which is hosting the next edition of the multi-sport event.

Ian Reid, Birmingham 2022's chief executive confirmed today that the make-up of the Board would change.

Reid's pledge comes in the same week as an open letter, which was signed by 51 prominent figures from across Birmingham, calling for concerns surrounding a lack of diversity within senior management roles to be addressed, was published.

Reid said that existing Board members, whose identities have yet to be revealed, would step aside and an action plan would be drawn up with a series of recommendations and immediate actions to address the diversity issue, as reported by Birmingham Live.

"We have listened, and we are taking action, starting at the top," Reid said.

"We are given a lot of public money and are in the public eye, and it is right that we have been challenged on this.

"There are a lot of stones being thrown in our direction and we need to take that, and make changes.

"Many of the issues being raised are systemic, they are reflected too in other public facing and publicly accountable organisations in the city, and I hope we can now go on to inspire a Birmingham-wide conversation.

"We need to change rapidly but not make it superficial.

"I am genuinely invested in doing so.

"I completely accept the leadership is not currently reflective of the host city and it should be, things need to change.

"We have been looking at this for some time - things are now running at speed."

The criticism stems from the fact that only one out of 20 members of the Board of Directors and Executive Management is not white.

The Executive Management team consists of five white men and two white women, while its Board of Directors features seven white men, five white women and one black man.

Following the open letter sent by prominent figures across Birmingham, a letter was sent by Labour's Shadow Sports Minister Alison McGovern to her Government counterpart Nigel Huddleston, asking what steps were being taken to ensure the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee reflects the diversity of the region and the Commonwealth.

Among the signatories to McGovern's letter was Ian Ward, Birmingham City Council leader, who is a member of the Birmingham 2022 Board.