Issue - meetings

The Interim Head of People and Property Services submitted a report setting out the results of the Equality and Diversity in Employment Report 2012/13, the detail of which was set out in the report now submitted and Essential Reference Papers.  It was noted that the Council was required to publish data on equality in the workforce by 31 March 2014.

The Chairman drew attention to the numbers given for staff with disabilities and those statistics which were either “unknown” or “not given”.   The Interim Head of People and Property stated that this reflected a reluctance on the part of staff, to let management know if they had a disability and of the possible reasons for this.  It was noted that if this information was not provided, then the Council could not provide the necessary aids and adaptations.

In response to a query from Councillor J Thornton concerning benchmarking of the statistics relating to disabilities, the Interim Head of People and Property undertook to establish this information and let him know.

Councillor P Ruffles stated that he was pleased to see that people were allowed to work beyond retirement age and referred to statistics regarding retirement ages and its impact on life expectancy within his profession.

The Interim Head of People and Property drew Members’ attention to issues which needed to be addressed arising from the 2012/13 Employment Equality and Diversity report, the detail of which was set out in the report now submitted.  These were supported. 

The Committee approved the report.

RESOLVED – that (A) the annual Equalities and Diversity Report 2012/13 be approved;

(B)       the report be published on the Council’s website to ensure compliance with statute by 31 March 2014;

(C)       a data cleanse be refreshed as part of the Human Resources and Payroll upgrade and that the Disabilities Status be refreshed every two years; and

(D)       training and evaluation forms be reviewed.