Issue - items at meetings - Single Equality Scheme

Report of the Strategic Director, Communities (copy attached).

(1)         That Cabinet supports the work to reduce inequality across the city and note progress made so far against the objectives set out in the Single Equality Scheme Action Plan.

(2)         That Cabinet notes plans for a review of the Scheme and, concurrently, the council’s Equality and Inclusion Policy, to build on existing good practice and ensure outcomes that make a real and lasting difference to the way the city deals with these priority areas of work.

13.1         The Cabinet considered a report of the Strategic Director, Communities concerning an update on progress against the Single Equality Scheme Action Plan.

13.2         Councillor Duncan confirmed that the council would continue to carry out Equalities Impact Assessments for its own work regardless of central Government plans to abolish such requirements.

13.3         Councillor Mitchell welcomed the report. She noted that the new Administration would need time to reprioritise, but asked whether the budget amendment to retain the post of Hate Crime Worker would be honoured. She acknowledged the use of the Community Engagement Framework (CEF) and praised the approach.

13.4         Councillor Theobald noted that excellence in the Equalities Standard for Local Government had been achieved under the previous Administration. He asked how national changes to the ‘Prevent’ strategy, designed to tackle terrorism and extremism, would impact on the local approach.

13.5         Councillor Duncan commended the CEF and reported that a wide range of groups were supportive of its use. He advised that the new Administration had its own priorities, which would influence the council’s work on equalities, but that much of the content of the report applied to the city’s family of partnerships. He added that the Police would feed into the local review of the ‘Prevent’ project.

13.6         In response to questions from opposition Members, the Strategic Director, Communities advised that outcomes from the Turning the Tide report, which concerned social inclusion, had informed a number of pieces of work; he agreed to provide Councillor Mitchell with further details and also to circulate an update about the retention of the Hate Crime Worker post. With regard to the ‘Prevent’ agenda, he explained that the city had taken an inclusive approach and that consideration would be given to the effect of central Government changes on community groups.

13.7         The Chair acknowledged the work of the Communities & Equalities Team in producing the report and in particular Mary Evans and Sarah Tighe-Ford.

13.8         RESOLVED - That, having considered the information and the reasons set out in the report, the Cabinet accepted the following recommendations:

(1)         That the work to reduce inequality across the city be endorsed and progress made so far against the objectives set out in the Single Equality Scheme Action Plan be noted.

(2)         That plans for a review of the Scheme and, concurrently, the council’s Equality and Inclusion Policy, to build on existing good practice and ensure outcomes that make a real and lasting difference to the way the city deals with these priority areas of work, be noted.