Issue - meetings

Report from the Executive Director of Corporate Services.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1.    Approve the Inclusion Strategy 2026-30.

2.    Approve the action plan for February 2026 to March 2027.

3.    Note the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report 2024-2025.

Consideration was given to the report which summarised the Council’s new Inclusion Strategy which updated the previous Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy. Building on the vision of the Council Plan of creating inclusive growth, the new Strategy set out the Council’s approach to addressing inclusion-related issues, ensuring services were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 119

Report from the Executive Director of Corporate Services.

Recommendations:

That Cabinet:

1.    Approve the Inclusion Strategy 2026-30.

2.    Approve the action plan for February 2026 to March 2027.

3.    Note the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report 2024-2025.

The Chair invited The Cabinet Member for Finance and Community Safety, Councillor Alam OBE, to introduce the report.  The Cabinet Member for Finance and Community Safety explained that the new statutory plan replaced the Council’s 2022–2025 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy. Although the title had been simplified, the strategy still covered a wide range of equality, diversity, inclusion and Public Sector Equality Duty responsibilities.

The Cabinet Member for Finance and Community Safety reported that the plan set out how the Council would continue to listen to local people, understand their priorities, ensure services were accessible, and address disadvantage. The plan aligned with the Council’s vision of valuing decency and dignity, creating opportunity for all, and ensuring no one was left behind. It also linked strongly to the Council’s inclusive economy work, including supporting people into employment and maximising the positive impact of local spending.

Consultation had been carried out online and through 12 focus groups with external organisations representing a range of protected groups, as well as internal staff networks. Feedback indicated that while people sometimes felt listened to, they wanted more engagement and were positive about co?production. Concerns about feeling unsafe were frequently raised, consistent with feedback from the 2024 Council Plan consultation. Experiences of accessing services were inconsistent, and many participants preferred face?to?face interaction rather than digital engagement. A full consultation report was provided in Appendix 4.

It was noted that the themes emerging from the consultation reflected those identified during Doncaster Council’s informal peer review, such as the need to further embed equality, diversity and inclusion across all service areas. Consultation findings had shaped the strategy’s themes: Working Together, Responsive Services, Welcoming Places and Employer of Choice.

The introduction highlighted that extensive good work was already taking place across the Council to support people at risk of exclusion. The plan also described what excellent practice would look like, based on the Local Government Equality Framework. Examples were given of current activity, including strong Ofsted feedback on work with young people, engagement with older residents and with communities from Black and minority ethnic and faith backgrounds. A key area for improvement was demonstrating how services were reshaped in response to resident feedback, including closing the feedback loop.

Under the Welcoming Places theme, the Council aimed to ensure communities felt safe and supported. Under Employer of Choice, the focus was on ensuring the workforce reflected the borough’s diverse communities and that employment opportunities were accessible to people with disabilities and those less likely to access Council roles.

An action plan was included to support delivery through the Council’s governance arrangements. The annual report was also provided for information.

The Chair invited members of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board (OSMB) to raise questions and queries.

Councillor McKiernan asked about the section on page 99 relating to consultations. He noted that the report suggested there was fragmentation across Council services in how public consultations were carried out. He queried whether there were plans to establish a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 99