Birmingham is to double its representation on the West Midlands Police Authority from one to two members, with both jobs going to councillors from ethnic minorities.
The decision to appoint Coun Ayoub Khan (Lib Dem Aston) and Yvonne Mosquito (Lab Nechells) is being seen as evidence of a fresh determination by the council's Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition to involve more non-white faces in the governance of Birmingham.
Coalition leaders have been under attack for having no ethnic minority members among cabinet members or scrutiny committee chairmen, even though 30 per cent of Birmingham's population is non-white.
The move to give Birmingham two places on the police authority has been made possible following discussions between West Midlands Liberal Democrats.
Lib Dem leaders agreed to swap their party's sole representative on the police authority from Walsall Council to Birmingham Council.
Coun Paul Tilsley (Lib Dem Sheldon), deputy leader of Birmingham City Council, said: "There are 33 Liberal Democrat members of Birmingham City Council so it seems reasonable that the Liberal Democrat member of the police authority should come from Birmingham.
"This will, of course, enable Coun Mosquito to remain on the police authority."
Coun Khan will become Birmingham's lead member on the police authority, with the responsibility of answering questions about authority business in the council chamber.
Coun Tilsley said: "Ayoub Khan is eminently suitable for this position as he has a law degree and is about to undertake pupillage to become a barrister. "That will be extremely useful when it comes to debating police provision in Birmingham."
He confirmed that the coalition had also decided to appoint Coun Choudhry Tanveer (Lib Dem Springfield) to chair a temporary scrutiny committee inquiry into Local Area Agreements.
Coun Tilsley said: "This is an important step forward.
"The choice of Coun Khan and Coun Choudhry was made purely on individual merit, but you can take it from these actions that we are trying to make sure we are as inclusive as possible."
