Our equality actions and analysis
This page shows how we have taken equality into consideration when making decisions and introducing new policies.
Equality Impact Assessment (EIA)
EIA is an important part of our commitment to promote equality of opportunity for all our residents, people who use our services, employees and businesses.
Applying EIA to our strategies, policies, procedures, policies and functions will:
- provide a means to assess the potential or actual impact that our work has on the people it serves
- improve our ability to deliver suitable and accessible services that meet varied needs
- help develop good practice
- help to inform decisions about current and future service and policy development
help us develop ways of monitoring and reviewing the effects new or changing policies could have, if introduced.
For ease of reference, Equality Impact Assessments which have been carried out are separated into two categories:
- Policies, decisions and services affecting residents and customers
- Policies, decisions and services affecting council staff (HR policies).
Function planning
Consideration of equality issues is an integral part of the Council's service and function planning process. When planning their activities and priorities in the coming year, function managers have set equality objectives for the service they provide (downloadable below). Progress against these objectives is monitored quarterly.
- Function Plan - Equality Objectives 2012-2013
Function Plans - Equality Objectives 2012-2013 (Word version).
Promoting equality
We are working hard to find new ways to promote equality in all that we do as a council. For example, this year we have implemented a new internal procedure which enables us to quickly identify equality-related complaints and deal with them effectively. We have also introduced new equality monitoring questions for use across different council services, which will be used to collect information to help us better understand our service users.
A steering group (Equalities Group) made up of a range of council officers, from senior managers to front line staff, meets regularly to plan and monitor our work to promote equality. The group offers advice and support across the council with the aim of ensuring that equality is taken into account in all policies and decisions. To raise awareness and increase understanding of equalities issues, training has been undertaken by staff and a new internal 'toolkit' has been developed by the Equalities Group. Elected Members have also been offered training on equalities issues. Many of our Members participated in a seminar on the Equality Act in June 2010.
In particular, we are working to make council services accessible to a wider range of people. Improvements have been made to council documents and to our website to make information easier to understand, for example the inclusion of a new icon which directs web users to information about translations. For more information see the Translations and Access to council services pages.
Contact
Last updated : 27/01/2012
