FOR GENERAL RELEASE

1. PURPOSE OF REPORT AND POLICY CONTEXT

1.1 The initial report on actions being taken by the council towards becoming an anti-racist council was presented at TECC committee on 29th July 2020 and an update was presented on 19th November. At this meeting officers were instructed to provide brief updates as a standing item at every TECC committee meeting. This report provides an update on actions since the progress report to TECC committee meeting16^th September 2021.

2. RECOMMENDATIONS:

2.1 That committee note the report.

3. CONTEXT/ BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3.1 This report should be read in context of the previous reports starting with the report to a special TECC committee meetingin in June 2020 throughto the last report in September 2021.

3.2 Updates are noted where specific activities or progress has been made. Other actions from the pledges, Notices of Motion and petitions continue to be in progress and updates will be provided as progress develops.

3.3 Engagement with communities

3.3.1 A seventh meeting of the Community Advisory Group took place on 19^th October as part of a series of thematic discussions and ‘challenge’ sessions. The seventh meeting was focused on the health inequalities and adult social care. It was attended by the Executive Director for Health and Adult Social care from the council and by the Managing Director of the Brighton& Hove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) who is co-chair of the programme of work ‘Turning the Tide’ on health inequalities for BME population.

3.3.2 The seventh meeting of the CAG was chaired by the newly appointed independent convenor for the group – Orlene Badu. The convenor is contracted to work two days per month to facilitate the group. Membership of the CAG is open to BME-led community and voluntary groups in the city and active BME community activists.  Any groups and/or activists interested in joining can email equalities@brighton-hove.gov.uk with their contact details to be added to the group.

3.3 3 The council’s community engagement officer focused on working with the BME residents and groups, continues to reach out and build trust and confidence with groups and residents in the city. Alongside direct outreach to residents and groups the officer is producing a 6-weekly bulletin to BME groups in the city to facilitate networking and information sharing between groups and provide information about the council of relevance to the groups. The officer is working with groups to enable community-led and community specific discussions about their experience of racism and racial inequality. Funding has been made available to enable these community-led discussions.

3.4 Education and young people

3.4.1 The council’s draft Anti-Racist Schools Strategy was agreed by CYP Committee in November 2020. Following consultation with education providers and stakeholders a second iteration has been produced and this draft has been shared with stakeholders including the Community Advisory Group for further feedback. A dedicated resource to deliver the strategy is now in place. The Education Adviser: Anti-Racism started in post in early October and there is a meeting diarised between the CAG convenor and this post to explore on-going dialogue and relationship between the CAG, the strategy and to develop advisory structures for the strategy. Racial literacy training and pilot projects are ongoing as further engagement to support the five-year strategy takes place.

3.4.2 The work of the Safeguarding & Care Anti-Racist Project Board continues alongside ongoing learning events and practice discussions focused on race and racism.

3.5 COVID19 response

3.5.1 In April 2021 Policy & Resources Recovery sub-committee allocated £300,000 from the Containing Outbreak management Fund for the provision of an additional ‘Communities Fund’ for BME, LGBTQ+, disability, and women’s community and voluntary groups across the city for whom evidence points to a disproportionate impact from Covid, including health inequalities, financial and economic impacts, impact from home schooling on future attainment, barriers to accessing information and support including language barriers, digital exclusion, mental health, and violence towards women.  Approximately £54,000 was awarded to bids from BME organisations.

3.6 Council workforce

3.6.1 The 6-month Diverse Talent development programmewill launch in January 2022. The initial programme is being offered to 12 BME staff, to support their career progression, as council workforce data shows that BME staff are not proportionately represented in roles graded SO1/2 and above.  The learning outcomes include:

• Prepare and develop for staff for their next role withinthe council

• Develop their knowledge, experience, skills and confidence to be part of an inclusive culture and influence for change in the organisation if you choose to do so

• Deepen their self-awareness and leverage their strengths

• Learn about key management and leadership theories

• Develop their communication, presentation and interpersonal skills

• Understand organisational context, to help you shape and influence your own career progression

3.6.2 In September, the council’s Corporate Equality Delivery Group approved our restorative approach to racism.  This new approach was developed with our Trade Unions, BME Workers’ Forum, members of our virtual Fair & Inclusive Team and HR Organisational Development.  It is for use by by managers with advice from the HR Advisory Service and does not replace our formal procedures such as the disciplinary, grievance and dignity at work procedures.  It is intended to increase understanding around the personal impact of certain behaviours and language relating to race, and to resolve issues in a way that encourages reflection and learning

3.7 Community Safety

3.7.1   Following a successful bid to the Home Office for communications support, the     Upstanders Network, facilitated by BHCC, developed a range of short films on hate       crime.  The films feature local services and community groups including the Racial      Harassment Forum giving messaging on how to be an upstander against all forms      of hate including racism and encouraging the reporting of hate crime.  The films            have been launched on the Upstanders twitter account and have received           approximately 75,000 views.

3.7.2   There was a range of social media activity for Hate Crime Awareness Week in      October 2021, including further promotion of the Upstanders films.  A news story     was featured on the BHCC website, messaging focused on the reasons to report hate crime following research which shows this is a priority for communicating to      local groups.

3.7.3   The Racial Harassment Forum “Break the Silence” campaign on racial and religious       hate crime, supported and funded by BHCC, continued to run and evaluation of the      initial campaign is now complete.  Outcomes included increased reporting to the           Racial Harassment Forum, enabling a greater number of harmed persons to          receive support; increased knowledge of what race and faith hate is and of                         reporting mechanisms; and positive benefits for partnership working through links made at events held throughout the campaign.  These collaborative links will          continue to be developed and maximised.

4. ANALYSIS & CONSIDERATION OF ANY ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS

4.1 The progress outlined above is on actions undertaken in response to the council’s pledge to become an anti-racist council, anti-racism Notices of Motion and petitions acceptedby full council/committees and previously Member agreed work under the Fair & Inclusive Action Plan.

5. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT &CONSULTATION

5.1 Engagement is as outlinedin paragraph 3.3

6. CONCLUSION

6.1 TECC committee requested a standing item on everyagenda updating on progress towards the council’s anti-racism commitments.

6.2 This report updates on progress and the contentsare for Membersto note.

7. FINANCIAL & OTHERIMPLICATIONS:

Financial Implications:

7.1 Project management and leadership of the work is being carried out as part of core business of the Communities, Equality and Third Sector (CETS) team. A budget of £10,000 has been allocated from the CETS initiatives budget to support the work. Financial implications arising from the other actions identified in the reportwill be considered by the relevant serviceas part of their standardbudget management processes and decisions on allocation of funding will be made in line with council’s budget setting process.

Finance OfficerConsulted:    Michael Bentley                            Date:20/10/21

Legal Implications:

7.2 There are no legalimplications arising from thisreport which is for noting.All of the actions proposed are in line with the Council’s powers and duties, in particular underthe Equality Act 2010.

Lawyer Consulted:          Alice Rowland                               Date:21/10/21 Equalities Implications:

7.3 The intention of this work is to address identified racial inequalities and racism experienced by people who live in, work in and visit the city. The range of engagement plannedwith people who share other characteristics in addition to their ethnicity will ensure that perspectives are heard from a wide range of people. This will enable the development of tailored and bespoke actions to address all forms of racism, where it is based on ethnicity, skin colour or any other attribute.

7.4 The work is central to the council’s legal duties under the Equality Act 2010 to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between communities, as well as to encourage civic engagement by under-represented groups. It also complements and supports the council’s Fair & Inclusive Action Plan in addressing the findings of the review of race equality by Global HPO.

Sustainability Implications:

7.5 No implications arising from this report Brexit Implications:

7.6 No implications arising from this report