Agenda item - Items referred from Council

Items referred from the last Public Engagement Meeting of Full Council held on 21 July 2022 (copies attached):

1)    Deputation – Gender Equality

Deputation – Gender Equality

22.1 The Chair introduced the gender equality deputation:

At Full council in July members agreed that this committee would request officers to bring forward a report, in consultation with residents who self-define as a woman or another marginalised gender identity, and women’s organisations and other organisations such as youth services and public sector partners in the city, that outlines a new Gender Equality Strategy.

And that the report includes information on work already ongoing, alongside any new proposals to work in partnership to tackle gender inequality to focus on four key areas;

Poverty (to consider distributing free sanitary products at community centres and youth clubs)

Health (including requesting that the NHS to consider a public health awareness campaign to improve cervical screening rates)

Safety (including improvements to support services for victims of VAWG, and a Night Time Safety Charter and a consultation to hear from women and girls on improving street safety)

Education (including rolling out further commissioned services such as anti-misogyny and gender equality training)

Staff capacity is currently fully allocated to the development of the council's first anti-racism strategy and accessible city strategy. Therefore, the development of a gender equality strategy will be timetabled for the new civic year (from May 2023),

The timeline for strategy does not mean that work on gender equality is not happening or stops for example the council is undertaking a range of activity to tackle gender inequality with the VAWG strategy, work in schools, and in health. This will of course continue.

22.2 Committee then noted the deputation.

Notice of Motion – Take Action to Tackle Gender Inequality in Brighton and Hove

22.3 The Committee agreed to note the Notice of Motion on Gender Inequality on page 7 of Addendum 1 and called for an officer report to come to a future TECC Committee.

Notice of Motion – Licensing Scheme for Short Term Holiday Lets and AirBnBs

The Committee agreed to note the Notice of Motion on Short Term Holiday lets on page 9 of Addendum 1.