Agenda item

Cabinet Member: Local Communities

Forward Plan Ref: 2020/113

Contact: Sam Shepherd, Senior Policy Officer Tel: 07789 088173

Report by Corporate Director for Customers & Organisational Development (CA9).

Oxfordshire County Council takes its obligations and commitments to equalities, diversity and inclusion very seriously. This update of the council's equality policy has been undertaken in partnership with Cherwell District Council to align approaches in a joint policy. This is in line with the agreed principles of joint working. It reflects the serious inequalities within our communities highlighted by the Director of Public Health Annual Report, the Black Lives Matter movement and the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19.

This item highlights the need for change, describes the process to update the County Council policy and describes what we want to be different as a result of the work. It seeks Cabinet agreement on the 'Including Everyone. Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Framework' and its initial Action Plan. 

The work supports delivery of the Council’s ‘Thriving Communities’ vision due to the cross-cutting nature of equalities, diversity and inclusion. It also aligns with the Director of Public Health Report: ‘Some are more equal than others’.

Cabinet is RECOMMENDEDto:

(a)          AGREE the Including Everyone, Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Framework, as contained within Annex 1;

(b)          DELEGATE to the Corporate Director for Customers and Organisational Development, in consultation with the Cabinet member for Local Communities, consideration of any amendments proposed through the decision-making process at Cherwell District Council; ?????

(c)          AGREE the initial Including Everyone, Action Plan, as contained within Annex 2. 

Oxfordshire County Council takes its obligations and commitments to equalities, diversity and inclusion very seriously. Cabinet considered an update of the council's equality policy that had been undertaken in partnership with Cherwell District Council to align approaches in a joint policy. This is in line with the agreed principles of joint working. The report sought Cabinet agreement on the 'Including Everyone. Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Framework' and its initial Action Plan. 

Councillor Liz Brighouse, Chairman of Performance Scrutiny Committee, commented that paragraph 16 of the report reflected what was said at Performance Scrutiny Committee and much of what was discussed was incorporated into the Action Plan. Councillor Brighouse highlighted the final point that related to people with mobility impairments and noted that the discussion on the last item made clear the difficulties people with mobility issues faced in getting around Oxfordshire easily As a Committee they wanted to look at the Action Plan on a regular basis and in addition felt that a members seminar would be helpful so that all members understood what was trying to be achieved. In relation to data the Committee were concerned of the need to have better data in relation to young carers and also the number of different languages spoken  in our schools. Excellent document andt hanks officers work. Supports very well the recent commitment at the last Council meeting to make Oxfordshire an anti-racist county. So many of the people living in our County do not feel included, people in poverty, those affected by covid-19. Excellent corporate plan called a Thriving Oxfordshire and would prefer tthis to be called Inclusive Oxfordshire rather than Including Everyone as not everyone does feel included.

Councillor Gray, Shadow Cabinet Member for Local Communities, Claire Taylor, Corporate Director Customers & organisational Development and and Sam Shepherd, Policy Team Leader gave a presentation that highlighted the need for change, described the process to update the County Council policy the close partnership approach with Cherwell District Council and the next steps.

During discussion Cabinet:

·         Supported the Framework and Plan and highlighted that the actions taken as a result were key to its success.

·         Was pleased that connections were being made with the Director of Public Health’s annual report the thrust of which was to highlight deprivation that led to inequalities.

·         The positive support from within the community for each other was a positive to come from the pandemic and could be a springboard to breaking down barriers going forward.

·         Highlighted the opportunity to revisit the paragraph on equality implications included in all reports to ensure that the changes we make are fair and inclusive.

·         Noted the need to be careful in the phrasing used so that whilst we must be inclusive and celebrate diversity the language used should not inadvertently offend a large group of people.

·         Highlighted that this was a joint piece of work in partnership with Cherwell District Council to ensure both able to deliver onand the BAME network. the promise of the opening line of the document.

·         It was noted that a number of Cabinet members had attended different drop in events during Inclusion Week and these had covered a number of networks including: the disability awareness and wellbeing network, the LGBTQIA+ network and the BAME network. These groups were well established and involved mostly officers. The sessions were well attended,  were welcoming and thought provoking and highlighted how painful exclusion could be for people. It was suggested that it would be usefult to run the sessions again to allow wider councillor involvement.

·         Were pleased to see the Framework go further than the nine legally protected characteristics to include 5 that were important to the priorities of Oxfordshire. It was noted that the characteristics were not discrete but would sometimes overlap leading to an infinite number of different identified characteristics each possibly with their own unique sets of challenges but also with host of opportunities when we choose to embrace diversity.

·         Highlighted work that was already underway to address the ambitions of the Framework.

RESOLVED:             to:

(a)          Agree the Including Everyone, Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion Framework, as contained within Annex 1;

(b)          Delegate to the Corporate Director for Customers and Organisational Development, in consultation with the Cabinet member for Local Communities, consideration of any amendments proposed through the decision-making process at Cherwell District Council; ?????

(c)          Agree the initial Including Everyone, Action Plan, as contained within Annex 2.