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Issue - meetings

Draft Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022 - 2025

Meeting: 02/12/2021 - Improvement and Scrutiny Committee - Resources (Item 19)

19 Draft Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022 - 2025 pdf icon PDF 240 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members had been provided with a detailed update report on the development of the Council’s draft Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-2025 and the proposed timetable for adoption by the Council, and were asked to consider and provide feedback on the draft Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-2025.

 

          Councillor Carol Hart, Cabinet Member for Health and Communities attended the meeting as this equality, diversity and inclusion came within her portfolio responsibilities, and outlined that the development of a strategy was a key area of work and there was a real appetite for the Council to become more ambitious and to put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything it did. Councillor Carol Hart and Executive Director lead (Helen Jones) would work together to champion and drive forward the Council’s approach.

 

          Wes Downes, Policy Manager gave a presentation to the committee to compliment the report and the draft Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-2025, which had been circulated in advance of the meeting

 

Over recent months work had been taking place to develop the Council’s new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy. A wide range of engagement had taken place with internal stakeholders which has involved reviewing the Council’s approach and identifying the key challenges and opportunities for the Council and Derbyshire moving forward. The engagement had shown a real appetite for the Council to become more ambitious and to put equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything it does.

 

The draft Strategy recognised that the Council has worked hard on equality and diversity issues and that this work has resulted in significant changes to services, employment practices and approach. However, there was a recognition that more work needed to take place, particularly in the context of key demographic and economic challenges and wider societal events and issues.

 

The draft Strategy set out the Council’s vision and values for equality, diversity and inclusion and five key priorities to direct activity over the forthcoming three-year period as follows:

 

·        Create a diverse and confident workforce

·        Ensure fair access to employment, skills and business support

·        Engaged communities able to influence decisions

·        Healthy and supported people

·        Safe and inclusive places for everyone

 

To focus the Council’s effort and resource each priority sets out a key aim and outcome and identified areas of focus. Each of the priorities in the Strategy would be supported by a detailed action plan which will be refreshed on annual basis. The action plans would have indicators to measure progress against the priorities. Implementation will be overseen by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Board and reporting will align with the Council’s business monitoring processes.

 

In terms of next steps:.

 

      the strategy would also be subject to a six week period of public consultation as during December 2021- January 2022

      Further opportunities for colleagues to contribute to the development of the strategy, action planning and associated workstreams as they develop over the coming weeks

      The Strategy would be supported by an overarching Delivery Plan which is  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19