Equality & Diversity

Introduction

The Equalities Act 2010
The majority of the Equality Act 2010 has now come into force, bringing together existing equality law into one place so that it is easier to understand and extending protection to some groups so that they are treated more fairly.
The new law protects everyone in Britain to some extent as people who have several of the characteristics it covers, namely age, race, religion and belief, sex (meaning gender) and sexual orientation; and some people also have the protected characteristics of disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity.
Under the Act people are not allowed to discriminate, harass or victimise another person because they belong to a group that the Act protects, are thought to belong to one of those groups or are associated with someone who does.

The Equality Framework
The Equality Framework for Local Government (EFLG) is a performance improvement and benchmarking tool. It builds on and develops the work councils have done on the Equality Standard for Local Government (ESLG). The EFLG contains many new features, is simpler to use and more relevant to the way local authorities work today.

Engagement
To support this area CLG provided ring fenced funding to support East Midlands District Councils in their understanding of the Equality Duty generally and specifically to support those 21 District Councils that were considered vulnerable in terms of the gender duty. The project is enabling the region's local authorities to deliver services with equality principles at their core and is a good example of EM IEP adding value to other activity taking place in the East Midlands. Two thirds of the 46 local authorities in the region replied to an equality and diversity survey, to map the needs of the region and tailor the support being provided.

Benefits Delivered

Case Studies- Six case studies, highlighting good practice examples, have been published to provide transferable good practice for small and large authorities alike. The topics range from Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Services ‘Improve services and working partnerships for safer communities' to High Peak and Staffordshire Moorlands ‘Generating savings and efficiency through shared services'.
A New Tool for Successful Procurement - Two innovative events have been developed to highlight how good practice on inclusion can save money. The events ‘A New Tool for Successful Procurement' were held in January and February, with the latter being oversubscribed. Procurement officers left these events having explored regional good practice case studies, learnt about new equality and diversity legislation and how it applies to procurement and gained practical training on using Equality Impact Assessments to drive efficiencies within procurement processes.
Putting equality and diversity in focus -Three regional ‘Equality and Diversity in Focus' workshops were designed to tackle capacity issues within district councils where many officers have equalities and diversity work incorporated into their day jobs. Equality and Diversity officers left the event having updated their knowledge of equalities and diversity law, gained an understanding of the Equalities and Human Rights Commission and how this can support them in their work. They also explored transferable regional and national good practice and gained a better confidence in using simple and efficient Equality Impact Assessments.
Reading the Signs: why people turn off politics - A highly innovative event was commissioned by the EM IEP and Aegis Communities and delivered at the Holocaust Centre in Nottinghamshire. Councillors left the event having explored their role in encouraging active citizenship, identified practical ways to address these issues in their wards and feeling supported to take the action required at a local level. The course challenged the delegates to consider their own understanding and approach to exclusion, prejudice, active citizenship and the democratic deficit, which can dramatically influence the dynamics of a community.
Delivering Chances Award Scheme-designed to recognise the achievements of organisations who have responded to the needs and have focused on delivering better outcomes for vulnerable individuals, groups and communities by developing cohesive approaches around a shared equality objective. 

Next Steps

• Develop Standard Documents for use by all procurement officers, and particularly for the benefit of District Councils, that bring together Procurement and Equalities Impact Assessments.
• Procurement/ Equality training provided for officers within local authorities
• Evaluate the impact of programme and website for members and officers.
• Further member training
• Award Scheme to recognise the delivery of improved outcomes for citizens as a result of embedding equality and diversity into authorities' activity or Fire and Rescue Services agendas.
• Develop links to use of national resources.