Equalities

Equality objectives

Our equality objectives are:

• To promote the use of equality impact assessments as part of the council’s decision making, policy making, procurement, and service design to ensure inclusivity, accessibility, equal opportunities, and good relations
• To tackle the effects of poverty and deprivation, and to have a positive impact on people’s daily lives through delivery of Supporting Communities Strategy projects.

These objectives were approved by Cabinet on 15 October 2024 and will be reviewed by October 2028.

Equality impact assessments

We are committed to put equality at the heart of what we do. To support this, we carry out equality impact assessments. 

The aim of an these is to make sure that our services are fair, effective, and efficient.

They help us identify and understand any potential negative impacts, so we can minimise them wherever possible. They also help us maximise opportunities to promote fairness and respect.

We will consider making an equality impact assessment when we are: 

• Developing new policies or services
• Amending existing policies or services
• Making significant financial decisions
• Conducting public consultations
• Undertaking a review of a service
• Approving a new project or service

If we find a possible negative impact on people with protected characteristics, we may: 

• Change the policy or activity to remove the impact if this is possible 
• Find ways to reduce the impact on people with protected characteristics 
• Find alternative ways to meet our objectives
• Go ahead with the policy or activity, where it is necessary to meet the needs of people with protected characteristics and there is no reasonable alternative  

Our equality impact assessments are published alongside the relevant decision record or committee report.  

Each year, we will publish an equality report that will show how we are:

• Performing in the area of equality
• Making decisions with taking into account the Equality Act
• Complying with our duties

Our next report will be published in October.

Our workforce data

You can find information about our workforce profile, including our gender pay gap information, on our workforce data page. 

Our duties under the Equality Act 2010

We have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to: 

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation 
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not 
• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not 

We must publish: 

• One or more equality objectives every four years 
• Equality information every year  
• Gender pay gap information every year  

You can find out more about The Equality Act 2010 and the protected characteristics on the Equality and Human Rights Commission website.