Content

7.1

The Director of Policy and Democratic Engagement
submitted a report providing the Council with a holistic,
future-facing approach to race equality. Building on the progress
already made, it sets out in part 1 what we stand for as a Council
and in part 2 where we are as an organisation, including on the 7
qualities the Race Equality Commission (REC) said an anti-racist
organisation would have in place as a minimum. Part 3 sets out the
action we will now take, illustrated with work which has already
taken place. This report responds to feedback encouraging the
Council to take ownership, implement action with more pace and make
clear what race equality means to us as an organisation and what
our approach will be.
 
The REC published its final report on 14 July
2022. Commissioned by elected members, chaired by Professor
Emeritus Kevin Hylton and supported by 24 commissioners, the REC
gave Sheffield an account of race equality in the city and a set of
recommendations for areas requiring
improvement.
 
Sheffield City Council made the promise set out
in the REC report and in doing so agreed to implement the
recommendations which were relevant to the Council, become an
anti-racist organisation and facilitate the formation of a legacy
body. The Council responded to the REC in December 2022, bringing
to this Committee an action plan to address the recommendations. In
August, this Committee reviewed progress and committed to go
further, faster.

 

 

7.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and
Resources Policy Committee:-

 

 

 

(a) agrees to
adopt part 1 (pages 4-5) of the report now submitted and support
and challenge officers, partners and each other, in a spirit of
joint endeavour and kindness, so that everyone aligns what they do
and how they do it against shared statements of
intent;
 
(b) through this
report, and in individual letters of thanks, formally acknowledge
the Race Equality Commission, its independent Chair and its 24
commissioners, including Council staff members who took on
commissioner roles alongside their work, and those who supported
them (paragraphs 22-24);
 
(c) notes part 2
of the report (pages 6-14) which sets out data on race in our city
and our progress against the 7 qualities the REC said an
anti-racist organisation would have in place as a
minimum;
 
(d) agrees the
actions in part 3 (pages 15-29) and champion the report’s
aims across the Council’s policy committees, and across the
breadth of the Council’s committee system, and ask the
Governance Committee to support the implementation of this
approach;
 
(e) agrees that
elected members on key committees will be the first tranche of
members to undertake an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
level 2 equivalent certificate (paragraph 35e);
 
(f) agrees the
accountability roles and responsibilities (paragraphs
43-44);
 
(g) notes the
substantial, positive work of the legacy body task and finish group
and extend gratitude to its chair, members and those who have
supported its work (paragraphs 45-48); and
 
(h) approves the
Council budget of £100,000 over four years, earmarked in the
2024/25 Business Planning to fund internal spend on the
Council’s external contribution to work around the Race
Equality Partnership for Sheffield (paragraphs
49-52).

 

 

7.3

Reasons for Decision

 

 

7.3.1

To build on
progress to date and provide the Council with the next stepping
stone in the on-going journey towards race
equality.

 

 

7.4

Alternatives Considered and
Rejected

 

 

7.4.1

This Committee agreed that the Council should pursue a specific
approach to race equality. This report does not recommend a change
to that approach.