Issue - meetings

The Human Resources Officer introduced the report which included recommendations for the 2025/26 employment equality action plan.

The Chair thanked officers for the report and queried why only six of the nine protected characteristics were covered within the papers.

The Human Resources Officer said that she would speak to the report author and request that this information be included in the next report.

The Chair asked if unpaid carers could also be included within future reports and asked what the council currently did to protect this group.

The Human Resources Officer said that carers were not ‘logged’, but that a policy existed which defined how a carer was recognised and gave entitlement to five paid days leave (pro-rata) for caring responsibilities. She said that this detail could also be included in the next report.

Councillor Connolly referred to the promotion of equalities based events within the calendar and asked if the number of these could be increased.

The Human Resources Officer said that it was a priority for an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group to be convened, which would allow such an increase.

Councillor Willcocks queried the number of ‘unknown ethnicity’ responses given by employees on their exit questionaries and asked if it was mandatory to provide this information.

The Human Resources Officer said that should a person not wish to give such information it was possible to opt for ‘other’.

Councillor Deffley asked if it was a legal requirement for the council to produce an annual equalities report. The Human Resources Officer said that it was a legal requirement.

It was moved by Councillor Willcocks and seconded by Councillor Connolly, that the recommendations, as detailed, be approved. After being put to the meeting and a vote taken, this motion was declared CARRIED.

RESOLVED – that (A) the Annual Equalities Report 2024/25 be noted; and

(B) that the recommendations set out in the 2025/26 action plan be considered and approved.