Equality and diversity

As a public authority we have a duty to promote equality of opportunity and eliminate discrimination for service users and staff, rather than waiting for individuals to complain. We have to go beyond ticking boxes and to review progress to ensure that it delivers results that make a difference to people.

In order to do this we have spent the last year developing new equality objectives which will help us to understand how and where we can make a difference to people as we plan, procure, commission and deliver services.

We have taken a whole organisation approach to addressing issues of inequality both in relation to providing services and the way it manages and develops its workforce. These two areas are not only interlinked, but will also ultimately impact on our ability to deliver public sector equality duties.

In our budget proposals for 2013/14, we state that “everything we do, every single day, is about the biggest P of all – people”. Indeed, the very focal point of the Equality Act is people and the way that they engage, enjoy, achieve and experience civil society. The approach to the equality objectives is heavily influenced by council priorities and will support the council to fulfil its strategic priorities.

Read our Equality and diversity policy statement

Read our Equality Impact Assessments

Read our annual Equality and Diversity executive summary (PDF, 363kb) and report 2011/12 (PDF, 1.6mb)