Equality Objectives Annual Report 2021

April 2021

The Council is a public body which, under the Public Sector Equality Duty in the Equality Act 2010 - GOV.UK, has a specific duty to publish one or more equality objectives to demonstrate how the Council is meeting the aims of the general equality duty.

Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 - GOV.UK places a general equality duty on the Council to have due regard to the need to:

• Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct prohibited under the Act
• Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it
• Foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and people who do not share it

The characteristics protected under the Act are:

• Age
• Disability
• Gender reassignment
• Marriage and civil partnership
• Pregnancy and maternity
• Race
• Religion or belief
• Sex
• Sexual orientation

Under the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) Regulations 2011 - GOV.UK, the Council is required to publish one or more objectives we think we should achieve to do any of the things mentioned in the 3 general duties.

In December 2019, the Executive published a new suite of Equality Objectives for the Council, for the period 2020 to 2024. These are available at on the Equality pages - GOV.UK of the Council’s website.

Scope and structure of this report

This second annual report provides an update on activity in relation to the agreed Objectives.

For each Objective an update is provided against the broad activities that it was agreed in December 2019 the Council would focus on.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

At the time that the new Equality Objectives were agreed, no-one could have forecast the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic would have on our residents, business and Council services.

In 2020, the need for the Council to mobilise an extensive emergency response meant that a number of our business-as-usual activities were impacted. Whilst the requirements of responding to the pandemic did not reach this extent in 2021, there continued to be a significant role for the Council in supporting residents in the face of COVID-19, and a related ask upon key Council services throughout the year.

As identified in last year’s report, the pandemic also highlighted the central role that the Council plays in supporting the borough’s communities and demonstrated our ability to provide support and make a positive difference to our most vulnerable residents. These activities, and their relation to our equality objectives, continue to be reflected within this report.