Agenda item

7.1

Our Annual Equality Report gives an overview of how we are meeting our Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). The report summarises our actions and progress on improving equality, in the way we serve the people of Sheffield and how we behave as an employer.

The report includes more detailed information about some of our areas of work and highlights areas of persistent inequality. The examples in the report are only a selection of the ways in which we work to improve equality and to meet the Equality Duties.

The report also includes the council’s annual Workforce Data Report as Appendix C. This is part of meeting the Specific Duty under the PSED to publish equality information on our employees. Producing this report enables us to identify any disparities in our workforce profile, understand how fair our workforce policies are and identify any differences in the experiences of different groups in our workforce.

The work undertaken contained in the annual report is monitored and overseen by the Strategic Equality and Inclusion Board (SEIB).

It was stated that a key positive action to support our aim to improve equality would be to ensure that all reports submitted to Committees attach a completed Equality Impact Assessment (EIA).  Such EIAs should form part of the early consideration in completing reports so as to appropriately inform decisions.

7.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) notes the progress made in meeting our Statutory Equality Duties including our Equality Objectives 2019 – 2023;

(b) notes our latest workforce diversity data and outstanding challenges;

(c) notes the areas of persistent inequality that will require continued attention;

(d) agrees the priorities for future action as set out in the report. These are under each equality objective and cover 6 key areas of focus:

• Better data collection, analysis and use of service equality monitoring information.

• Work with services to ensure service plans reflect equality goals and commitments.

• Utilise EIAs more effectively and robustly, ensuring they are undertaken at the right time with good evidence and in a proportionate way.

• Strengthen relationships with and understanding of the diverse communities within the city both online and in person across all characteristics.

• Carry out staff surveys to assess the morale of the workforce including assessing satisfaction levels of different groups of employees.

• Develop a more inclusive culture within the Council including via learning and development for staff and Members; and

(e) agrees to give consideration to suggestions for future areas of focus for equalities work in 2023.

7.3

Reasons for Decision

7.3.1

We recognise we have some big challenges ahead and we know from the findings of the Race Equality Commission report and work from this report that currently, communities in Sheffield don’t feel the city is fair or inclusive and they don’t feel empowered or included.

7.3.2

We therefore need to be committed to providing more inclusive and accessible services, that meet the needs of all our communities in Sheffield. We must continue to listen, learn and embed equality into everything that we do for our residents, visitors, and workforce

7.3.3

Although there are many inequalities, colleagues across SCC are working hard to tackle these. Many are because of national factors that impact on the city that are outside our control. We want to thank our colleagues for working together to help make Sheffield a fairer, accessible and a more inclusive place to live and work in.

7.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

7.4.1

The do-nothing option was discounted when discussing this paper as it is a Specific Statutory Equality Duty to report annually on how we are meeting our General and Specific Duties.

7.1

The Director of Policy and Democratic Engagement submitted a report on the Council’s Annual Equality Report, giving an overview of how we are meeting our Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED). The report summarises our actions and progress on improving equality, in the way we serve the people of Sheffield and how we behave as an employer.

The report includes more detailed information about some of our areas of work and highlights areas of persistent inequality. The examples in the report are only a selection of the ways in which we work to improve equality and to meet the Equality Duties.

The report also includes the council’s annual Workforce Data Report as Appendix C. This is part of meeting the Specific Duty under the PSED to publish equality information on our employees. Producing this report enables us to identify any disparities in our workforce profile, understand how fair our workforce policies are and identify any differences in the experiences of different groups in our workforce.

The work undertaken contained in the annual report is monitored and overseen by the Strategic Equality and Inclusion Board (SEIB).

It was stated that a key positive action to support our aim to improve equality would be to ensure that all reports submitted to Committees attach a completed Equality Impact Assessment (EIA).  Such EIAs should form part of the early consideration in completing reports so as to appropriately inform decisions.

7.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) notes the progress made in meeting our Statutory Equality Duties including our Equality Objectives 2019 – 2023;

(b) notes our latest workforce diversity data and outstanding challenges;

(c) notes the areas of persistent inequality that will require continued attention;

(d) agrees the priorities for future action as set out in the report. These are under each equality objective and cover 6 key areas of focus:

• Better data collection, analysis and use of service equality monitoring information.

• Work with services to ensure service plans reflect equality goals and commitments.

• Utilise EIAs more effectively and robustly, ensuring they are undertaken at the right time with good evidence and in a proportionate way.

• Strengthen relationships with and understanding of the diverse communities within the city both online and in person across all characteristics.

• Carry out staff surveys to assess the morale of the workforce including assessing satisfaction levels of different groups of employees.

• Develop a more inclusive culture within the Council including via learning and development for staff and Members; and

(e) agrees to give consideration to suggestions for future areas of focus for equalities work in 2023.

7.3

Reasons for Decision

7.3.1

We recognise we have some big challenges ahead and we know from the findings of the Race Equality Commission report and work from this report that currently, communities in Sheffield don’t feel the city is fair or inclusive and they don’t feel empowered or included.

7.3.2

We therefore need to be committed to providing more inclusive and accessible services, that meet the needs of all our communities in Sheffield. We must continue to listen, learn and embed equality into everything that we do for our residents, visitors, and workforce

7.3.3

Although there are many inequalities, colleagues across SCC are working hard to tackle these. Many are because of national factors that impact on the city that are outside our control. We want to thank our colleagues for working together to help make Sheffield a fairer, accessible and a more inclusive place to live and work in.

7.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

7.4.1

The do-nothing option was discounted when discussing this paper as it is a Specific Statutory Equality Duty to report annually on how we are meeting our General and Specific Duties.