Purpose

The Council’s Equalities CAG met for the first time on 17 June 2024. Cabinet considered the recommendations made by the CAG and was asked to approve a new Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Policy and to agree that the Constitutional Review Committee and then Full Council consider the suggestion made by the CAG that Equalities training be made mandatory for all Councillors.

Decision

Cabinet agreed to:

1. The Council’s new EDI policy appended to this report;
2. The Council’s new Equalities Screening Tool and Equalities Impact  Assessment;
3. That a report be presented to the Constitutional Review Committee to consider the proposal that a change be made to the Constitution making it mandatory for all Councillors to attend Equalities training.

Reasons for the decision

The first meeting of the Council’s Equalities CAG made a number of recommendations which have been brought before Cabinet for consideration. The new EDI policy that Cabinet was asked to consider has been developed over a considerable period of time and embodies best practice in this area.

Adoption of the policy will ensure that the Council not only meets its equalities duties but goes beyond and positively strives to ensure that equalities considerations are given the necessary regard in all decision making and are an integral consideration for the council in the exercise of all its functions. The recommendation that consideration be given to Equalities training being compulsory for Councillors is made to ensure that Councillors are well equipped to ensure that the Council complies with its obligations under the Equalities Act.

Alternative options considered

Cabinet considered that it could not accept the revised EDI policy or make amendments to it It noted that a great deal of time and consideration had gone into drafting the policy. The Legal team and the Council’s equalities officer have also advised on the policy and the policy incorporates best practice and aims to ensure that Equalities considerations are integral to all its decision making and practices within the Council.

Cabinet also considered whether or not to recommend that the Constitutional Review Committee consider a proposal to make EDI training mandatory for all Councillors. It considered the arguments in favour of making this recommendation and decided that it should.