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ITEM EX15
EXECUTIVE
– 20 JULY 2004
PROMOTION
OF RACE EQUALITY
Joint Report
by Head of Democratic Services and Head of Human Resources
Introduction
- The Council on
15 June had before it a notice of motion in the name of Councillor Robert
Evans. In his absence the motion was proposed by Councillor Liz Brighouse
and was adopted in the following amended form:
This Council notes
that Section 71 of the Race Relations Act 1976, as amended by the Race
Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, places a statutory general duty on local
authorities to promote race equality. Under this duty, the Council must
have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful racial discrimination;
to promote equal opportunities; and to promote good relations between
people from different racial groups when carrying out its functions.
Under the Act, the term ‘functions’ means the full range of the Council’s
duties and powers. The Act also imposes additional specific duties on
local authorities, including the requirement to train staff on meeting
the general duty. Accordingly, and mindful of the importance of these
duties, and of the relevant legal and democratic responsibilities of
the Council’s political leadership in these matters, this Council
recommends the Executive to arrange for all members of the Council to
undertake appropriate training, learning and development on the extent
and nature of the Council’s duties under the Act, as a matter of considerable
urgency.
Comprehensive Equality
Policy
- The Oxfordshire
Plan recommended by the Executive to Council on 15 June acknowledges
the promotion of equality and social inclusion as a corporate commitment
standing alongside and integrating with the Council's values. Central
to this is the Council’s Comprehensive Equality Policy, adopted by the
Executive on 16 March 2004, which recognises the importance of learning
and development in promoting equality in the provision of services.
The Policy states that appropriate training should be provided for all
those involved in service provision "to ensure that they fully
understand their responsibilities under the law and under this policy".
- Based on the framework
of the Comprehensive Equality Policy and the Race Relations (Amendment)
Act provisions, such training should cover:
- The nature and
effects of racism, including institutional racism, and how to challenge
it.
- The general
duty to promote race equality.
- Specific duties
relating to policy and service delivery:
- impact assessments;
- monitoring policies;
- assessing and
consulting on proposed policies;
- publishing results;
- access to information
and services; and
- training staff.
- Specific duties
as employer.
- Specific duties
relating to procurement and partnerships.
Equalities Training
and the Learning & Development Strategy
- One of the aims
of the corporate Learning & Development Strategy currently under
development is to produce an organisation-wide programme to address
training needs that are common to all services. The Learning & Development
Strategy will therefore provide an ideal opportunity to look coherently
and consistently at current and future diversity and equality training
as part of the corporate approach to learning and development for employees
and managers. Diversity and equality training is a key part of the overall
programme.
- The development
of the Learning & Development Strategy will form a key element of
the emerging HR Strategy which is being presented to Corporate Governance
Scrutiny Committee and the Executive.
Delivery of Training
for Members
- Member training
and induction is presently co-ordinated via Democratic Services, and
this will continue to be so, supported where relevant by the corporate
HR team. The continuing programme offers courses and seminars on a variety
of topics, including a number which are aimed at developing core skills
and knowledge appropriate to members’ roles.
- Training of the
kind envisaged in the motion adopted by Council should in any event
be provided for all staff under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act but
would be also relevant to the activities of members in a variety of
roles. It is proposed that a module covering the elements summarised
in paragraph 3 should be added to the core member training programme,
and a more detailed specification developed in consultation with (in
particular) the Oxfordshire Racial Equality Council. Officers will also
look to exploit the benefits of sharing the development of course content
and training providers for such generic courses between staff training
programmes and the learning and development facilities offered to members
and officers.
- The costs of running
the courses for members would be met from the existing Members’ Training
budget.
RECOMMENDATIONS
- The Executive
is RECOMMENDED to endorse the proposals set out in the report for the
institution of training for members on the duty to promote race equality
and commend it to members as a core component of the member skills base.
DEREK
BISHOP
Head of Democratic Services
STEVE MUNN
Head of Human
Resources
Background
Papers: Nil
Contact
Officers:
Adrian Harper-Smith, Strategic Projects Officer, Tel (01865)810179
Glenn Watson,
Democratic Support Manager, Tel (01865)815270
Steve Munn, Head of
Human Resources, Tel (01865)815191
July
2004
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