The Interim Director of Corporate Services presented a report, which highlighted changes to equality legislation, and Government equality policy, which would affect the method of/timescale to reaching ‘excellent’ status of the Equality Framework for Local Government. He reported that the work was part of the Corporate Plan 2010/2011 (strategic objective 5, to create an excellent council) to encourage efficiencies as well as tackling Wirral’s inequalities, and as part of the Council’s legal obligations within the Equality Act 2010.

The Council’s Corporate Equality and Cohesion Manager gave a detailed presentation upon the measures that were required. She outlined the requirements of the new Equality Framework and highlighted the general and specific duties contained within it. She set out the Fairness Agenda contained within the Government’s Equality Strategy and referred in particular to the role of scrutiny to demonstrate that the Council had met its general and specific duties and was able to demonstrate improvements and outcomes as a result of its equality objectives. She commented also that the Council’s ‘Equality Watch Scheme 2009 – 2012’ was due to be refreshed, to take into consideration the Equality Act 2010 and, consultation would take place across the Council, with partner agencies and among members of the Council’s equality watch scheme.

In response to questions from Members in relation to Equality Impact Assessments, she commented upon the requirement on the Council to analyse the impact on people of what it did and to publish the results. Such analysis could be in the form of formal Equality Impact Assessments but different methods of analysis had been undertaken by assessors, including the use of templates. In response to further comments upon training, she referred to the Elumnos online training module, which had recently been updated in the light of the changed requirements.

Resolved –

(1)  That the report be noted.

(2)  That Committee notes that the action plan for reaching ‘excellent’ status is being reviewed and refreshed to reflect the requirements of the new Equality Duty 2010, the Government’s Equality Strategy ‘Building A Fairer Britain’ (December 2010), and the changes to the role of the Local Government Improvement and Development’s Equalities Team.

(3)  That Committee notes that the deadline for being assessed for ‘excellent’ status of the Equality Framework for Local Government will need to move from November 2011 to July 2012.

(4)  That a copy of any templates used to record Equality Impact Assessments be provided direct to all Members of the Committee.

(5)  That information in relation to Members’ responsibilities be incorporated into the induction packs for all newly elected Members of the Council.

(6)  That a further report be presented to a future meeting of the Committee in relation to the Equality Implications of the recent Council Budget, to include information as to what analysis was undertaken and how officers took equality duties into account.