Agenda item

To consider the proposed Stevenage Borough Council Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan 2023 -2024; the recommendations of the Stevenage Equalities Commission (SEC); and the SEC Legacy Group Action Plan.

The Executive considered a report in respect of the proposed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan.

In response to a Member’s question about how the Action Plan would be rolled out regarding safeguarding responsibilities under the Children’s Act, the Operations Director stated that it would be part of the work that would be progressed this year (as outlined in the Action Plan) regarding protected characteristic groups, including engagement with disability groups and children and young people. In acknowledging the Council’s requirements under the Equalities Act around children and young people, having an Action Plan of this nature demonstrated that it recognised the needs and issues faced by this group, and was striving to address and tackle those issues in a positive way.

It was RESOLVED:

1. That the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan, as set out at Appendix A to the report, be approved.

2. That an EDI progress report and updated EDI Action Plan be brought back to the Executive in Autumn 2024.

3. That the Stevenage Equalities Commission (SEC) Recommendations Report and SEC Legacy Group Action Plan, as set out in Appendices B1 and B2 to the report respectively, be noted.

Reason for Decision: As contained in report.

Other Options considered: As contained in report.

The Executive considered a report in respect of the proposed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities advised that the Equality Act (2010) was the legal framework by which the rights of individuals and the advancement of equality of opportunity for all are protected. In March 2022, the Council set out its commitment to fulfilling these requirements in its Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy (2022-2026). This was accompanied by the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy (2022-2026), which committed the Council to going beyond legislative requirements, and recommended the implementation of an annual EDI Action Plan.

The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities commented that the Action Plan presented in Appendix A to the report was in response to this commitment. It explained how the Council would continue to promote equality, diversity and inclusion across its services, communities, and workforce over the next year. It brought together all strands of equality, diversity and inclusion work across existing Council strategies, services, and programmes, ensuring that a clear link between the Council’s six equality policy objectives and projects was established.

The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities stated that the actions identified in the plan sought to respond to a number of key pieces of work, including:

· the initial findings of the Stevenage Equalities Commission, which focused on establishing the extent of racial disparity in Stevenage and identified a set of recommendations to tackle this issue;

· a period of self-assessment by the Council to identify existing and future projects which supported the equality, diversity and inclusion agenda, and any opportunities within these projects which it could build upon; and

· recognition of the diversity of Stevenage through analysis of the Equality & Diversity Annual Report, and making sure that the Council’s actions within the plan sought to represent all protected characteristics groups.

The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities had been very involved in the valuable work of the Stevenage Equalities Commission, which had been set up in April 2021 following a Motion agreed by the Council to address the nature, extent, and impact of racism in the town. She praised the Chair of the Commission Errol John, who was present at the meeting, for his tireless commitment to the Commission’s ambitions. The Commission’s findings indicated that there was further work to be undertaken with partners to identify future opportunities for joint working, which was why she was pleased to see an action for the establishment of a Stevenage Equalities Commission Legacy Group included in the Plan, so that this work could be taken forward.

The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety & Equalities also remarked on the significant number of projects already being delivered by the Council in this area, particularly the work of officers to make sure that the output was meaningful and demonstrated tangible progress for the groups which the Council was seeking to support. She was keen to see how these projects progressed, which was why the recommendation to bring an EDI Action Plan progress report back to the Executive in a years’ time was so important.

In response to a Member’s question about how the Action Plan would be rolled out regarding safeguarding responsibilities under the Children’s Act, the Operations Director stated that it would be part of the work that would be progressed this year (as outlined in the Action Plan) regarding protected characteristic groups, including engagement with disability groups and children and young people. In acknowledging the Council’s requirements under the Equalities Act around children and young people, having an Action Plan of this nature demonstrated that it recognised the needs and issues faced by this group, and was striving to address and tackle those issues in a positive way.

Errol John (Chair of the Stevenage Equalities Commission - SEC) addressed the Executive and provided some local background and history to the pioneering contributions of individuals from ethnic minority groups in the town. In terms of the SEC, he advised that it comprised 18 people from various backgrounds, some of whom had strategic links into other public service organisations. He was grateful for the work of his fellow commissioners, which had focussed on 5 priority areas (criminal justice system, education, employment/business, health and sports/arts/culture).

Errol John commented that the work of the SEC had confirmed that equality disparities were still apparent in various areas, as evidenced by the data/information gathered and the testimony of witnesses. He stated that strategies were being developed to endeavour to address those disparities and drew attention to the SEC’s Legacy Group Action Plan, which was appended to the officer report.

The Chair thanked Errol for his address and the work of the Commission.

The Operations Director confirmed that officers had incorporated the recommendations of the SEC into the Council’s EDI Action Plan. Progress would be monitored via the SBC Equality & Diversity Governance Group.