To approve the draft Equality Policy 2017-2019, including the proposed equality objectives.

The cabinet member for economy and corporate services introduced the report. He highlighted that the updated equality policy included new objectives and picked up on topical issues such as the arrival of Syrian refugees and the needs of the gypsy, roma and traveller community.

The equality and compliance manager summarised the report. She highlighted that it was not a statutory requirement for the council to have an equality policy but that it must publish its equality objectives and show how it was meeting the legal requirements of the Equality Act.

The cabinet member for health and wellbeing noted that the community safety partnership had identified domestic violence and abuse as a priority area and asked that the equality policy recognise the lead role of the partnership in this area.

The equality and compliance manager stated that there was no specific objective relating to people with disabilities as they would be picked up in the other objectives. The council was recognised as a disability friendly employer and further actions were to come in this area.

The cabinet member for young people and children’s wellbeing asked whether having three main priorities for the period of the policy would distract from the other principles not associated with these priorities. The equality and compliance manager stated that all of the principles were expected to be embedded across the authority. The three priority areas related to new or emerging challenges and requirements.

The chair of the general overview and scrutiny committee noted that the committee would be undertaking a piece of work on gypsy, roma and traveller communities. He highlighted the urgent need to identify a transit site and that some existing sites needed to be better maintained.

In response to a query the equality and compliance manager stated that the council would shortly be publishing details of its gender pay gap.

A group leader asked about the purpose of analysing the diversity data of all candidates standing for election. The equality and compliance manager responded that the council wished to ensure that councillors reflected the diverse range of people in the county. Monitoring the diversity of those standing for election would establish a base starting point from which the council could measure the effectiveness of measures to encourage a more diverse range of candidates.

A group leader asked why the development plan document (DPD) on travellers’ sites would not be adopted until December 2018.  The identification of a transit site would take even longer. The lack of available pitches was a pressing issue for the planning committee. The director of economy communities and corporate stated that the process of selecting a transit site had commenced and that a couple of options had already been identified. The DPD would need to go through the same formal process as the local plan which would include an examination by a planning inspector prior to its adoption by the council. The date given allowed for delays which could occur in the process but it was possible that the DPD would be adopted sooner.

It was suggested that the language in the document could be simplified to remove jargon and explain terms such as protected characteristics.

Resolved that:

a)    the draft Equality Policy (including the equality objectives) – at appendix 1 to the report - are approved for publication in January 2017 with the following amendment:

On page 13 principle 6 part (d) to include the words - that the community safety partnership leads on work around domestic violence and abuse.