The way forward: using effective diversity and equality practice to meet our challenges

Michael Keating

National Advisor Equalities and Cohesion

020 7296 6731 michael.keating@local.gov.uk

Developing a multi-agency equality action plan in Cornwall

30th March 2011www.local.gov.uk/improvementanddevelopment

The national picture

• Tackling the deficit v long-term economic success• Big Society and devolution to communities and

citizens– 60% of voluntary and community sector groups concerned

with equality issues

• Demographic changes– Ageing society– More women working– Growing diversity

The challenge to local government

• Big reductions in resources

• Move away from central to self-regulation

• Localism: transparency = rationale for decisions + accountability

• If local people say they want something why aren’t you providing it?

• No red tape!

The public sector Equality Duty

• Covering the ‘protected characteristics’ of age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation

• A general duty which requires public bodies to have due regard to the need to:

– Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation– Advance equality of opportunity between different groups– Foster good relations between different groups

• Role as employers, policymakers, service providers, commissioners and procurers

Supported by specific duties

• Publish information to demonstrate compliance– Have “due regard” – Understand the effect of policies and practices– Look at evidence, engage with people, staff, service users

and others and consider the effect on the whole community– Guidance, not regulation

• Prepare and publish one or more objectives– Taking account of the size and role of the public authority

and its current equality performance

Local government’s business case

Strong cohesive places=

Understanding communities +

Tackling inequality

The Equality Framework for Local Government (EFLG) is a tool for local government to self-regulate its own performance

Strengths of the model

• Designed to help deliver outcomes

• Peer support and challenge

• Relevant to current policy and service context

• Benchmark across public sector

….but? Knowing your community – equality mapping 48%

Improving representation of under-represented groups

32%

Procurement 29%

Place shaping, leadership, partnership 27%

Community engagement and customer satisfaction

18%

Responsive services and customer care 8%

Workforce issues 10%

A new business case – what we need to do• Capacity and skills of practitioners to negotiate and

influence when there is less central guidance and direction

• More open problem-solving by practitioners, senior officers and councillors

• Building more effective relationships within and between organisations

• Find the right language - reflecting different political views, resonating with local priorities and making sense to all kinds of communities

Further information on the LG Improvement and Development’s equality work is available from:

www.idea.gov.uk/diversity

The Equality Frameworks are available from:

www.local.gov.uk/equalityframeworks

Network and share good practice with local government and partner colleagues on our Equality CoP:

www.communities.idea.gov.uk