Agenda item

(a)  Agreed the 2024-2026 equality objectives as set out in this report.

(b)  Delegated authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree performance measures for each objective.

(c)  Note that reporting of progress on the workforce objectives will be to the Employment Committee.

(d)  Agree to the commissioning of the LGA to undertake a peer review against the LGA Equality Framework, subject to budget being identified.

The Leader of the Council introduced a report that set out the final proposed statutory equality objectives for Slough Borough Council for the period 2024-2026, following the results of the recent public consultation.  The objectives covered both employment and service provision and were as follows:

·  Objective 1: Improve outcomes for children and young people who are more likely to be disadvantaged based on their protected characteristic, including SEND.

·  Objective 2: Work with partners, including housing providers, to target health inequalities and well-being between those from different protected characteristic groups.

·  Objective 3: Work with partners to improve community safety, in particular focusing on violence experienced by women and girls.

·  Objective 4: The Council uses a robust and comprehensive set of employment data to inform its workforce strategy and management practice, as well as benchmarking and sharing good practice.

·  Objective 5: The Council actively ensures that the profile of its workforce (including the profile of major providers of commissioned services) broadly reflect the community it serves/local labour market.

·  Objective 6: Political and executive leaders demonstrate personal knowledge and understanding of local communities and continue to show commitment to reducing inequality.

Amongst the recommendations the Cabinet was being asked to agree to commission the LGA to undertake a peer review against the LGA Equality Framework.  The Cabinet agreed that a commitment to equality was an important priority and should be a core part of the everyday practice and way of working across the Council.  A Lead Member commented that the SBC workforce should broadly reflect the demographics of the town and the Cabinet discussed how the objectives and forthcoming Peer Review could help make progress in this respect.

The Chief Executive highlighted that Objective 5 stated that the profile of the workforce should broadly reflect the community it served and that the Council would seek to learn from other authorities and organisations about how this could be further progressed.

A Lead Member commented that there had been a relatively low response to the consultation and requested that further consideration be given to public engagement to seek to encourage higher responses to future consultations.

After due consideration the equality objectives and other recommendations were agreed.

Resolved –

(a)  That the 2024-2026 equality objectives as set out in the report be agreed.

(b)  That delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, to agree performance measures for each objective.

(c)  That it be noted that reporting of progress on the workforce objectives will be to the Employment Committee.

(d)  That the commissioning of the LGA to undertake a peer review against the LGA Equality Framework be agreed, subject to budget being identified.