Inclusion and Diversity - Policy and Objectives 2020-2024
Basildon Council is actively committed to promoting inclusion and diversity as a community leader and advocate, as a service provider and as an employer.
We aim to ensure equality of access to services and service delivery, recognising and addressing the different needs of all our customers in keeping with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 (opens new window).
The Equality Act 2010 (opens new window) came into force on 1 October 2010 and brings together over 116 separate pieces of legislation into one single Act. Combined, they make up a new Act that will provide a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all.
The Act covers nine Protected Characteristics (opens new window). Basildon Council also looks at other elements which include socio-economic status, carers, part -time workers, health and Human Rights (opens new window).
The Public Sector Equality Duty (opens new window) (PSED) is supported by" specific duties" to assist public bodies like Basildon Council to achieve the aims of the general duty.
Under the specific duties, the Council must:
- Publish equalities information to demonstrate its compliance with the Equality Duty by the 31st January 2012 and then annually after that;
- Develop and publish equality objectives by 6 April 2012 and then every four years.
Downloadable document: Inclusion and Diversity Policy 2020-2024 (PDF, 548 KB)(opens new window).
Inclusion and Diversity Objectives 2020-2024
Basildon Council is committed to actively promoting inclusion, community cohesion and celebrating diversity; as a community leader, as a service provider and as an employer. The Council will promote inclusion and diversity through its core business and work to tackle all forms of discrimination for those living, working in or visiting our Borough.
The Council will achieve its vision by delivering against the following objectives:
- Objective 1: Creating Inclusive Services and Environments for All
- Objective 2: Working with communities, partners, businesses to promote community cohesion
- Objective 3: Encouraging communities to play their part in contributing to the pride of the borough
- Objective 4: Be an employer committed to promoting inclusion and diversity within our workforce; and ensuring our workforce is reflective of the community we serve
- Objective 5: Eliminating discriminatory practice swiftly with a consistent approach that confidently reaffirms to all parties our organisations values.
Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED)
The PSED also requires the Council to have 'due regard' which means consciously thinking about the three aims of the general duty as part of the decision‑making process and applying them to the 9 protected characteristics. The three aims are:
- Eliminating unlawful discrimination harassment and victimisation
- Advancing equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
- Fostering good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Fostering good relations is about tackling prejudice and promoting understanding between people from different groups.
The second aim (advancing equality of opportunity) involves, in particular having due regard to the need to:
- Remove or minimise disadvantages suffered by people due to their protected characteristics
- Take steps to meet the needs of people with certain protected characteristics where these are different from the needs of other people. Meeting different needs includes (among other things) taking steps to take account of disabled people's disabilities
- Encourage people with certain protected characteristics to participate in public life or in other activities where their participation is disproportionately low.
Service Impact Assessments
Compliance with the general equality duty may involve treating some people more favourably than others.
This means that consideration of equality issues must influence the decisions reached by public bodies - in how they act as employers; how they develop, evaluate and review policy; how they design, deliver and evaluate services, and how they commission and procure from others.
Basildon Council uses Service Impact Assessments to ensure that we meet the requirements of the general duty.