Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive

Recommendations:-

1.           To approve and endorse the programme of work to review and further strengthen the Council’s approach to equalities.

2.           To note that the equalities work will be framed around the four key lines of enquiry of the Equalities Framework for Local Government:

·              Understanding and working with your communities.

·              Leadership and organisational commitment.

·              Responsive services and customer care.

·              Diverse and engaged workforce.

Consideration was given to the report which detailed how the Council was committed to seeing a Borough based on equality and social justice where all residents have a good quality of life and able to achieve their potential in pursuit of that end.

This report brought forward a comprehensive and wide-ranging programme of action structured around achieving nationally accredited status for equalities aligned with a range of measures to tackle inequalities, discrimination and prejudice in partnership with other organisations and communities, as set out in the Council’s Year Ahead Plan.

The recommended approach would seek value outcomes in addition to the process of the EFLG, aligning work around socio-economic inequalities, community wealth building and social value together with Health and Wellbeing Board actions to address inequalities in health. It would also incorporate an approach to the Public Sector Equality Duty and relate to the Council’s “Black Lives Matter” resolution.

The scope and governance of the review would be dynamic, engaging the Council’s staff and bringing about change in culture of the organisation.

Driven by outcomes it would build a deeper understanding and empathy about equalities and social justice, and the confidence of staff to incorporate equalities into service design and delivery.

It was also a priority to build a more consistent understanding around equalities within the Council’s workforce.  Suggestions for improvement focused on embedding and centring equalities in Council activities while also improving equality and diversity learning opportunities, with the need for greater staff learning and development.

Cabinet Members welcomed this report and the opportunities for closer partnership working especially with the Health and Wellbeing Board, how the work would reflect the recent Council Motion on “Black Lives Matter” and the emphasis on the protected characteristics.  This review encouraged the Council to focus on itself, ensure the Workforce Strategy was at the heart of the process and by getting the basics right and gaps would be identified, barriers removed and allow the Council to succession plan.

This report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board as part of the pre-scrutiny process who were in support of the recommendations, subject to:-

-        an agenda item pertaining to Equalities being added to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board agenda on a two monthly basis

-        that a fact-finding Equalities Sub-Group convene on a monthly or as-needed basis to discuss Equalities workstreams and lines of inquiry with a view to bringing outcomes to present at Overview and Scrutiny Management Board for further scrutiny

-        that the Equalities Sub-Group be comprised of a core group of Members with at least one Member representing each of the Select Commissions

-        and that Members be invited to submit to this Sub-Group their questions or topics for discussion related to Equalities.

Resolved:-  (1)   That the programme of work to review and further strengthen the Council’s approach to equalities be endorsed and approved.

(2)  That the equalities work be noted and framed around the 4 key lines of enquiry of the Equalities Framework for Local Government:-

·        Understanding and working with your communities.

·        Leadership and organisational commitment.

·        Responsive services and customer care.

·        Diverse and engaged workforce.