Agenda item

This report provides the Executive Member with an update on ongoing work within City of York Council in response to the Full Council Motion October 2021 to become an anti-racist and inclusive city. It also provides an initial response to the report ‘A Snapshot View of Racial Disparity in the City of York’ published by Inclusive Equal Rights UK 3.0 (IERUK) in February 2023, with the intention of highlighting structural inequalities and disparities facing ethnic minorities in York.

Resolved:

(i)           That the ongoing work in relation to the council motion to become an inclusive and anti-racist city, be noted.

(ii)         That the initial response to the Inclusive Equal Rights UK 3.0 (IERUK) report, be noted

Reason:     To reaffirmCity ofYork Council’scommitment tobeing an Anti-Racist City.

The Executive Member considered a report that provided an update on ongoing work within City of York Council (CYC) in response to the October 2021 unanimously approved Full Council motion to become an anti-racist and inclusive city.  The report also provided an initial response to the report ‘A Snapshot View of Racial Disparity in the City of York’ published by Inclusive Equal Rights UK 3.0 (IERUK) in February 2023, with the intention of highlighting structural inequalities and disparities facing ethnic minorities in York.

The Director of Customer and Communities provided an overview, noting that:

·       The overarching goal of the motion was to develop a long-term anti-racism and inclusion strategy and action plan for York. The action plan would provide an evidence-based set of initiatives to tackle and dismantle casual and systemic racism, promote equality and fairness and champion diversity and inclusion in the city of York.

·       CYC acknowledged, and will learn from, IERUK’s work with residents who had been subjected to racism.

·       The council regularly hosted a Hate Crime working group which was well attended by both the Police and partners from across the city. The group’s current priorities, as highlighted in paragraph 22 of the report, were noted.

·       A team to focus on all aspects of Human Rights, Equalities, Diversity & Inclusion was being brought together and would be led by the Assistant Director of Customer, Communities & Inclusion.

·       Refreshed Human Rights and Equalities Impact Assessments would be introduced and form a fundamental part of decision making and policy development. This process would be continually developed and refined. 

·       The York Human Rights City Network (YHRCN) ran the Community Voices project on behalf of CYC, with theintent ofamplifying thevoices andagendas ofthose residentsin marginalised communities and groups. YHRCN were reviewing this programme with CYC to ensure that it met its original objective to work with the most marginalised.

The Assistant Director of Customer, Communities & Inclusion thanked officers for the work undertaken so far, and she noted that her team would provide strategic direction and organise training in relation to the council’s human rights and equalities work to increase knowledge and awareness amongst all CYC officers and elected members.

The Assistant Director of Policy and Strategy commended those individuals who had shared their lived experiences with IERUK, and she encouraged others to come forward.

The Executive Member thanked all those that had contributed on this important and challenging issue, and he commended those that had brought groups together to develop this work. He thanked IERUK and all the volunteers, particularly all the organisations, charities and voluntary groups that continued to support this agenda. He welcomed the action plan, and he thanked the public speaker for her contribution, which demonstrated the cross party ambition for York to become an anti-racist and inclusive city.

Resolved:

(i)           That the ongoing work in relation to the council motion to become an inclusive and anti-racist city, be noted.

(ii)         That the initial response to the Inclusive Equal Rights UK 3.0 (IERUK) report, be noted

Reason:     To reaffirmCity ofYork Council’scommitment tobeing an Anti-Racist City.