Issue - decisions

9.1

The Director Policy and Democratic Engagement presented a report setting outs out, for approval, a package of activity to promote equality, diversity and inclusion and meet our statutory duties. It brings together our new Equality Objectives 2024-2028, which were previously accepted in draft on 21 December 2023 by this Committee as part of our Equality Framework “equality is everybody’s business”, which have now been updated following the consultation. These are accompanied by our Council-level Equality Objectives Action Plan 2024-25, proposed Awareness Days to mark in 2024-25, and our Annual Equality Report 2022–23.

The 2022-23 Annual Equality 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. It gives an overview of how we are meeting our Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) including summary progress against our previous Equality Objectives with examples of a selection of work to improve equality and to meet the Duties. It also includes the council’s Annual Workforce Data Report which 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 report also details our pay gap information.

9.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a)  agrees the new Equality Objectives 2024-2028, as detailed in the report;

(b) agrees the Council-level Equality Objectives Action Plan 2024-25 which will monitor progress against the Objectives;

(c) agrees the Annual Awareness days we will mark in 2024-25, as set out in the report;

(d) notes the 2022-23 Annual Equality Report, specifically:

(i)             progress made in meeting our Statutory Equality Duties and

(ii)            our Statutory Workforce Report, including improvements, ongoing challenges and pay gap information

9.3

Reasons for Decision

9.3.1

Although there are many inequalities within the city as noted in the Council Plan and annual report, colleagues across the Council are working hard to tackle these. Many are because of national factors that impact on the city that are outside our control. We do however seek to address these such as work on health inequalities within the work in the Council and city such as via the City Goals and Council plans and strategies. We want to acknowledge the work whether new projects or work that is business as usual and thank our colleagues for working together to help make Sheffield a fairer, accessible and a more inclusive place to live and work in.

9.3.2

It is therefore recommended that Strategy and Resources Committee approve the Equality Objectives as they will support the fundamental repositioning of the council’s equality, diversity and inclusion work in line with the ambitions of the Council Plan and our work to embed anti-racism within the organisation and the city.  By agreeing the Objectives, the Committee will also ensure that we meet our statutory obligation to publish a set of four-year equality objectives.

9.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

9.4.1

The Council has previously agreed that it should pursue a specific approach to equality rather than one where equality is ‘mainstreamed’ within other activity. Because of the importance given to equality, diversity and inclusion within the draft City Goals and Council Plan this report does not recommend a change to that approach.

9.4.2

The do-nothing option was discounted when discussing this paper as it is a Specific Statutory Equality Duty to set Equality Objectives at least every 4 years and to report annually on how we are meeting our General and Specific Duties as set out in the annual report.

6.1

The Director of Policy and Democratic Engagement submitted a report proposing a new draft Equality Framework for Sheffield City Council, to include the Council’s proposed ambitions relating to equality, diversity and inclusion for the next four years as we seek to fulfil the vision set out in the Council Plan of becoming an organisation that puts people at the heart of what we do. By taking the learning from the Race Equality Commission and elsewhere, this framework fundamentally repositions the organisation’s approach to equality, diversity and inclusion over the next four years.

At the heart of the Equality Framework are the proposed new statutory Equality Objectives for Sheffield City Council. These will sit alongside the outcomes agreed in the Council Plan to provide a clear focus to our work on EDI. The Equality Objectives are focused around our three core roles in relation to equality, diversity and inclusion, namely:

• City and community leadership: championing equality through knowledgeable and inspirational leadership, and building a fairer Sheffield by fostering good relationships, listening, and engaging with the city’s diverse communities and together becoming an anti-racist city

• Service provider: providing supportive, accessible and customer centred services which increasingly understand and meet the needs of all Sheffield’s communities.

• Employer: Further developing a culture where employees feel safe, valued and have a sense of belonging, where equality is everyone’s business, and by building a representative and highly skilled workforce which reflects the city’s diversity

6.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a) endorses the draft Equality Framework;

(b) agrees the draft Equality Objectives as set out within the Framework, subject to public consultation;

(c) agrees to proceed with public consultation on the Equality Framework and Equality Objectives and bring to this committee a further report following that consultation;

(d) agrees that the further report will include detailed action plans for each Objective setting out how they will be achieved; and

(e) notes that in line with a recent Council motion, and the recent decisions taken by the Strategy and Resources Committee at its meeting on 13 December 2023, care experience (those who have at any part in their childhood been part of the care system) will be treated as an equality characteristic by the council in situations where protected characteristics are considered (including, but not limited to, equality impact assessments).

6.3

Reasons for Decision

6.3.1

It is recommended that Strategy and Resources Committee approve the equality framework as it will support the fundamental repositioning of the council’s equality, diversity and inclusion work in line with the ambitions of the council plan and our work to embed anti-racism within the organisation and the city. By agreeing the framework, the committee will also ensure that we meet our statutory obligation to publish a set of four-year equality objectives.

6.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

6.4.1

The Council has previously agreed that it should pursue a specific approach to equality rather than one where equality is ‘mainstreamed’ within other activity. Because of the importance given to equality, diversity and inclusion within the draft City Goals and Council Plan this report does not recommend a change to that approach. Furthermore, there is a statutory requirement for the council to adopt a set of Equality Objectives, as proposed in this Framework. As such no alternative options have been considered.