Issue - meetings

Arising from a report of the Group Manager for Performance, Governance and Data Security outlining the Council’s statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010, the Community Policy Development group has made the following recommendation that the Equality Policy and Objectives for 2019-2021 be approved.

Arising from a report of the Group Manager for Performance, Governance and Data Security outlining the Council’s statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010, the Community Policy Development Group had made the following recommendation: that the Equality Policy and Objectives for 2019-2021 be approved.

The Cabinet Member for Community Well-Being outlined the contents of the report stating that under the Equality Act 2010 local authorities had a duty to have ‘due regard’ to:

Eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Act;

Advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it; and

Foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it.

Consideration was given to the importance of mental health and dementia awareness.

RESOLVED that the recommendation of the Policy Development Group be approved.

(Proposed by Cllr D J Knowles and seconded by Cllr Mrs N Woollatt)

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes

To receive the annual review of the Single Equalities Policy and Equality Objective from the Director of Corporate Affairs and Business Transformation.

The Group received a *report from the Group Manager for Performance, Governance and Data Security outlining the Council’s statutory duties under the Equality Act 2010.

She explained that the Leadership Team had introduced a new objective to look in more depth at issues in relation to specific Protected Characteristics and this would begin with mental health issues which would contribute to the work to reduce staff sickness but also wok for the wider community such as Dementia awareness. She informed the Group that a meeting with staff had been set for 22^nd October to debate a way forward and that once a terms of reference had been agreed it would be opened up to Members and other groups.

In response to a question asked she detailed the Protected Characteristics:

·         Age

·         Disability (including people with learning disabilities, people with mental illness and people living with HIV and/or AIDS)

·         Gender reassignment

·         Material status, family circumstances, or caring responsibilities

·         Pregnant women and mothers with young children (under 5’s)

·         Race, including nationality, national or ethnic origin, being a traveller or gypsy

·         Religion or belief

·         Sex

·         Sexual orientation

The Group discussed the report and it was:

RECOMMENDED to the Cabinet that the Equality Policy and Objectives for 2019-2021 be approved.

(Proposed by Cllr B A Moore and seconded by Cllr W Burke)

Note: *Report previously circulated and attached to the minutes.