Issue - meetings

Cambridge City Council provides training on certain protected characteristics. This helps councillors to provide the best support we can to residents and make the best policy choices.

However, we don’t provide this training on all protected characteristics.

The purpose of this motion is to correct that omission and also extend cover to care leavers who do not yet enjoy statutory protection under the Equality Act 2010

This council reaffirms its commitment to supporting all its residents to the best of its ability.

In particular, it notes the importance of ensuring appropriate training for councillors so that they can provide the best support to all residents.

It notes that to date training has been provided on aspects of some but not all protected characteristics or on care leaver status.

In particular, no training has been provided for councillors to help them support those residents who have the protected characteristics of age and disability. Yet both of these characteristics have a significant impact on how residents use the services we provide as a council. 

This council commits to introducing appropriate disability training for councillors in 2024.

Appropriate disability training should as a minimum cover:

The social model of disability

Hidden disabilities

The stigma attached to disability

The disability services provided by the council and its partner agencies..

An understanding of how attitudes to disability can prevent residents seeking appropriate help.

The council also commits to reviewing the training on protected characteristics that it provides with group leaders to provide the most appropriate programme for councillors so that as comprehensive training as possible can be provided within the time and budgetary constraints applicable.

End of Active Motion

Background Notes (not part of active motion):

The Equality Act 2010 introduced 9 protected characteristics and made it illegal to discriminate against them. It imposes a particular duty of care on public bodies.

The current protected characteristics are:

·       Age

·       gender reassignment

·       being married or in a civil partnership

·       being pregnant or on maternity leave

·       disability

·       race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin

·       religion or belief

·       sex

·       sexual orientation

There is a current proposal to give care leavers protected characteristics (see Labour motion)

Green Group wishes to thank officers of the Local Government Association and Disability Rights UK as well as a number of individuals for their help and support in putting this motion together. Any errors or omissions are of course our own.

Councillor Bennett proposed and Councillor Tong seconded the following motion: 

Cambridge City Council provides training on certain protected characteristics. This helps councillors to provide the best support we can to residents and make the best policy choices.

However, we don’t provide this training on all protected characteristics.

The purpose of this motion is to correct that omission and also extend cover to care leavers who do not yet enjoy statutory protection under the Equality Act 2010

This council reaffirms its commitment to supporting all its residents to the best of its ability.

In particular, it notes the importance of ensuring appropriate training for councillors so that they can provide the best support to all residents.

It notes that to date training has been provided on aspects of some but not all protected characteristics or on care leaver status.

In particular, no training has been provided for councillors to help them support those residents who have the protected characteristics of age and disability. Yet both of these characteristics have a significant impact on how residents use the services we provide as a council.

This council commits to introducing appropriate disability training for councillors in 2024.

Appropriate disability training should as a minimum cover:

-        The social model of disability.

-        Hidden disabilities.

-        The stigma attached to disability.

-        The disability services provided by the council and its partner agencies.

-        An understanding of how attitudes to disability can prevent residents seeking appropriate help.

The council also commits to reviewing the training on protected characteristics that it provides with group leaders to provide the most appropriate programme for councillors so that as comprehensive training as possible can be provided within the time and budgetary constraints applicable.

Resolved (unanimously of all physically present in the Chamber [34 Councillors]) to support the motion.

Cambridge City Council provides training on certain protected characteristics. This helps councillors to provide the best support we can to residents and make the best policy choices.

However, we don’t provide this training on all protected characteristics.

The purpose of this motion is to correct that omission and also extend cover to care leavers who do not yet enjoy statutory protection under the Equality Act 2010

This council reaffirms its commitment to supporting all its residents to the best of its ability.

In particular, it notes the importance of ensuring appropriate training for councillors so that they can provide the best support to all residents.

It notes that to date training has been provided on aspects of some but not all protected characteristics or on care leaver status.

In particular, no training has been provided for councillors to help them support those residents who have the protected characteristics of age and disability. Yet both of these characteristics have a significant impact on how residents use the services we provide as a council. 

This council commits to introducing appropriate disability training for councillors in 2024.

Appropriate disability training should as a minimum cover:

The social model of disability

Hidden disabilities

The stigma attached to disability

The disability services provided by the council and its partner agencies..

An understanding of how attitudes to disability can prevent residents seeking appropriate help.

The council also commits to reviewing the training on protected characteristics that it provides with group leaders to provide the most appropriate programme for councillors so that as comprehensive training as possible can be provided within the time and budgetary constraints applicable.

End of Active Motion

Background Notes (not part of active motion):

The Equality Act 2010 introduced 9 protected characteristics and made it illegal to discriminate against them. It imposes a particular duty of care on public bodies.

The current protected characteristics are:

·       Age

·       gender reassignment

·       being married or in a civil partnership

·       being pregnant or on maternity leave

·       disability

·       race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin

·       religion or belief

·       sex

·       sexual orientation

There is a current proposal to give care leavers protected characteristics (see Labour motion)

Green Group wishes to thank officers of the Local Government Association and Disability Rights UK as well as a number of individuals for their help and support in putting this motion together. Any errors or omissions are of course our own.

This item was deferred to the adjourned council meeting taking place on 29 February 2024.