Issue - meetings

Matter for Decision

The Officer’s report sought approval of new equalities objectives applicable from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 to meet our statutory requirement to produce one or more equality objectives at least every 4 years. The report also meets the council’s legal obligations to publish information on general Public Sector Duty compliance regarding people affected by the council’s policies and practices every year. It does so by reporting back on progress relating to activity of services across the four years of the Single Equality Scheme that set out the council’s objectives between 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2025 (see Appendix A of the Officer’s report).

In addition, the Comprehensive Equalities and Diversity Policy has been updated in line with the council’s transformation (see Appendix B of the Officer’s report), which needs approval.

Finally, the report feeds back on the conversation on the Disabled People’s Manifesto at the Equalities Panel in July 2024, as was committed to at Full Council in May 2024 (see section 4.6 of the Officer’s report).

Decision of Executive Councillor for Communities

      i.         Noted progress made relating to the previous equalities objectives in the Single Equality Scheme, which covers the period between 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2025 set out in Appendix A.

    ii.         Approved equalities objectives for 2025/26 and key priorities relating to them set out in section 4.5 of this report.

   iii.         Approved the updated Comprehensive Equalities and Diversity Policy at Appendix B.

  iv.         Noted the content of discussions relating to the Disabled People’s Manifesto that were held at the Equalities Panel meeting in July 2024 and associated activity to support disabled people based on themes raised. This was set out in section 4.6.

Reason for the Decision

As set out in the Officer’s report.

Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected

See Officer’s report.

Scrutiny Considerations

The Committee received a report from the Equality & Anti-Poverty Officer.

The Equality & Anti-Poverty Officer said the following in response to Members’ questions:

      i.         The City Council was a key partner in the Community Safety Partnership to address hate crime etc. It undertook a lot of partnership working such as obtaining Purple Flag status for the city.

    ii.         In order to address the diverse health and wellbeing needs of city residents, the City Council worked with different partners to address different groups’ equality needs to learn directly from each group eg elderly, homeless etc.

   iii.         Referred to paragraph 5 on P147, there was a perception that larger firms seemed to find it easier to win contracts than smaller firms. Issues had been discussed with the Procurement Officer. A social value framework was being developed to inform contractors of City Council expectations. Undertook to liaise with Councillor Ashton on this after committee.

The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.

The Executive Councillor approved the recommendations.

Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any Dispensations Granted)

No conflicts of interest were declared by the Executive Councillor.