Issue - meetings

This report presents the results of an externally facilitated assessment against the recently refreshed Equalities Framework for Local Government (EFLG).

Resolved:

                         i.         Noted the results of the externally produced assessment against the requirements of the Equalities Framework for Local Government (EFLG) and areas of achievement and development which will feed into the action plan at Resolved iii), below;

                        ii.         Endorsed the draft Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2024-27 at Annex B which will be used as an interim strategy pending the outcome of consultation, as the equality objectives are required as part of meeting the council’s Public Sector Equality Duty;

                      iii.         Approved officers to carry out a public consultation on the draft strategy to inform the final three year strategy and action plan for approval in autumn 2024, noting this will not hold up of delivery of critical core actions needed to start the work of improvement as identified. A further report will be brought to Executive with the results of this consultation.

Reason:     To demonstrate the City of York Council’s core

commitment to becoming a more equal, diverse and inclusive council.

The Executive were joined for this item by Arif Sain from Inclusivity Global.

The Director of Customer and Communities introduced the report and confirmed work was being undertaken to publish the Council’s first ever ethnicity pay gap report, the Equalities Impact Assessment was being improved and tested to become an Equalities and Human Rights Analysis, and the job description was being finalised ahead of advertising the new Head of Equality and Diversity post. She highlighted the reestablishment of the Human Rights and Equalities Board and that the Chief Operating Officer was currently leading a new corporate equalities group.

Mr Sain welcomed the Council’s consultation and noted that it provided an opportunity to work with communities in York. He confirmed that the Council’s declaration to become an anti-racism city had been meet positively and noted that future work needed to clearly identify the needs of communities.

The Executive Members for Finance, Performance, Major Projects and Equalities welcomed the report and was happy to see the Council and the Executive working to return the Council to its previously high status on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. She welcomed the collaborative working with the Applied Centre for Human Rights at the University of York to develop a new Equalities and Human Rights Impact Analysis. She confirmed that the new assessment would act as a guide throughout the Council’s decision making process. Finally she noted that the action plan cannot sit solely with the Executive and that the council would work with partner organisations and residents on the next steps to be undertaken.

Resolved:

                      i.         Noted the results of the externally produced assessment against the requirements of the Equalities Framework for Local Government (EFLG) and areas of achievement and development which will feed into the action plan at Resolved iii), below;

                     ii.         Endorsed the draft Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2024-27 at Annex B which will be used as an interim strategy pending the outcome of consultation, as the equality objectives are required as part of meeting the council’s Public Sector Equality Duty;

                    iii.        Approved officers to carry out a public consultation on the draft strategy to inform the final three year strategy and action plan for approval in autumn 2024, noting this will not hold up of delivery of critical core actions needed to start the work of improvement as identified. A further report will be brought to Executive with the results of this consultation.

Reason:     To demonstrate the City of York Council’s core

commitment to becoming a more equal, diverse and inclusive council.