Agenda item

Report from the Assistant Chief Executive.

Recommendations:

1.    That Cabinet:

a)    Note the progress made over the past 12 months towards the equalities agenda.

b)    Note the next steps outlined within the Equalities Annual Report and action plan for 2023/24.

Consideration was given to the report which highlighted the progress made over the past year towards the equalities, diversity and inclusion agenda, as well as outlining next steps. The report covered key achievements and case studies from across the Council.

The report covered four themes that were developed inline with the equality framework. It demonstrated the significant progress made towards the journey of achieving excellence under the government framework.  An informal assessment was undertaken in the spring by a neighbouring authority which showed the Council was best placed to achieve its goal. It showed the leadership had a clear commitment to equality and diversity inclusion. The assessment also found that the Council had a strong self-awareness of work needed to realise it’s ambition. The progress made over the last twelve months had further propelled the Council on its journey.

The main purpose was to ensure it was embedded across the whole organisation, with equality being embedded within all services to mitigate the impact on protected groups.

One of the recommendations proposed during the review was already underway and through the workforce plan the organisation was looking at how to have a more representative workforce and remove barriers for people coming to the council to become an employer of choice.

The Overview and Scrutiny Management Board considered this report and felt the inclusion of case studies had strengthened the report. One additional recommendation had been proposed regarding the need to ensure that case studies in future annual reports should reference explicitly how they contribute to the equality, diversity and inclusion agendas.

Resolved:

1.    That Cabinet:

a)    Note the progress made over the past 12 months towards the equalities agenda.

b)    Note the next steps outlined within the Equalities Annual Report and action plan for 2023/24.

c)    That case studies in future annual reports should reference explicitly how they contribute to the equality, diversity and inclusion agendas.