Equality and diversity

Promoting equality of opportunity and celebrating the diversity of Richmondshire is one of the Council's core values, helping us to achieve our vision of making Richmondshire a place where everyone has "the opportunity to reach their full potential ".

 

 

We are actively committed to ensuring that there is no discrimination, injustice or inequality in the way we plan and deliver our services against individuals or groups on the grounds of disability, race, ethnic or national origin, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, social or economic status, religion or political beliefs. Our first Equal Opportunities Statement was approved in 1997. During 2004, as part of our work to improve our approach to equality and diversity, we reviewed our policy. Our current Equal Opportunities and Diversity Statement, was approved by full Council in December 2004, and renews our commitment to achieving equality of opportunity and valuing diversity.

 

 

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 was introduced as a result of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. The Council, along with other public bodies, has a duty to promote race equality. In 2002 we prepared our first Race Equality Scheme 2002  with a programme of improvements to ensure all residents have equal and fair access to services.

 

 

In 2004 we set up a corporate equality and diversity steering group, with a cross section of officers and with Councillors represented by three of our Member Champions. The purpose of the group is to drive forward and co-ordinate a programme of improvements to ensure our services are accessible to all and that they meet the diverse needs of all residents, and that we are an equal opportunity employer. The group is using the Equality Standard for Local Government to help plan improvements and set targets, taking a comprehensive approach and not focusing on race only.

 

The Council has met Level 1 of the Equality Standard and has set a target of meeting Level 2 by March 2006.

 

Our Equal Opportunities and Diversity Strategy and Action Plan 2005-8 , which sets out our three year improvement programme, including a programme of Equality Impact Assessments for our services, was approved by full Council in February 2005. The Strategy and Action Plan incorporate the Council's Race Equality Scheme 2005-8.

 

 

Our performance in 2004-5 and 2005-6 against key targets in our Equal Opportunities and Diversity Strategy are set out in our documents Equality and Diversity Monitoring 2004-5 and Equality and Diversity Employment Monitoring 2005-6

 

For more information contact:

 

Tony Clark
Executive Director

Tel 01748 829100 ex 102

 

e-mail: tony.clark@richmondshire.gov.uk

 

if you would like any Council documents in large print or any other format please get in touch.

 

 

The Council is pleased to advise you that the Disability Equality Scheme and Action Plan are now available.  The scheme can be reviewed in both a corporate format and an easy read version.

 

The comments that were made at the cafe-style consultation event we hosted for disabled people in Mid-November have been collated and summarised.  The Disability Equality Scheme Feedback is also now available. 

 

If you have any comments please contact p.bridgstock@richmondshire.gov.uk or by telephone on 01748 829100 Ext 288.