Equalities

Unpublished

    Equalities

    Legislation at a glance

    Legislation at a glance

    Civil Partnerships Act 2004:

    Equalities at Breckland

    Equalities at Breckland

    Breckland Council is committed to ensuring good relations amongst the community and our staff, as an employer and in how we deliver services. We have outlined this commitment in our Equality Scheme which incorporates our Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes, our scheme also includes our religion and belief, lesbian, gay and bisexual and age equality priorities and incorporate new elements outlined in the Equality Bill.

    To find out more about how we are working to incorporate equalities in all of our work visit the following pages.

    Breckland Council's Equality Strategy and Race Equality Scheme

    Breckland Council's Equality Strategy and Race Equality Scheme

    Legislation requires public bodies to consider whether there is any reason to believe that people are, or could be, differently affected because of their age, sexual orientation, gender, racial groups, religious beliefs/faiths, or if they have a disability.

    Equal opportunities

    Equal opportunities

    Breckland Council strongly believes that everyone, regardless of race, age, gender, faith/belief, disability or sexual orientation, has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. As a public body which represents all the people who live and work in Breckland, we are conscious of the importance of equality of opportunity and the promotion of good relations between members of different groups in this diverse district.

    Comprehensive Equality Policy (including action plan) and Race Equality Scheme

    Disability Equality

    Disability Equality

    The Council had general and specific duties introduced following the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. This amended the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and means the Council must promote disability equality and produce a Disability Equality Scheme. Our disability equality objectives and supporting action plan are based on us promoting both positive attitudes and images of disabled people. Breckland Council has adopted the social model of disability. The social model of disability is based on the principle that disabled people are sometimes disadvantaged not because of their medical condition or impairment but because of other people’s attitudes or the environmental barriers which have been put in place.

    Carer Support

    Carer Support

    A Carer is someone of any age who provides unpaid help and support to a relative, friend, partner or child who cannot manage because of age, illness or disability. They do not always call themselves a Carer.

    In Norfolk there are more than 81,000 people who care for a relative, friend or neighbour - and 16,000 of these provide more than 50 hours of care every week.

    Race Relations

    Race Relations

    The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 introduced both general and specific duties on the Council. We have a general duty which means that we have to give due regard to:
    • Eliminating unlawful racial discrimination;
    • Promote equality of opportunity; and,
    • Promote good relations between people of different racial groups.

    Immigration and nationality

    Immigration and nationality

    Gender Equality

    Gender Equality

    The Equality Act 2006 has amended the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and introduced the Gender Equality Duty. This means the Council has a statutory duty to promote gender equality and general duties to: • Eliminating unlawful discrimination and harassment; and, • Promoting equality of opportunity between men and women.

    We have a number of specific duties which we must do which were developed to assist public authorities in delivering their general duties. Our specific gender duties are to:

    Sexual Orientation

    Sexual Orientation

    New anti-discrimination laws that came into force in December 2003 tackle discrimination in employment and training on the grounds of sexual orientation and religion. These regulations offer protection against discrimination on these grounds for the first time ever — a major step forward. The Regulations provide a wide definition of sexual orientation as follows: 'a sexual orientation towards persons of the same sex; persons of the opposite sex; or persons of the same sex and of the opposite sex'.

    Faiths, Beliefs and Religions

    Faiths, Beliefs and Religions

    To find out more about a specific faith or belief, or to find a local contact:

    Baha'i Faith

    Age Equality

    Age Equality

    Under the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations (2006) discrimination, harassment and victimisation of age is unlawful in employment and vocational training.

    Equality Impact Assessments

    Equality Impact Assessments

    Introduction Legislation requires public bodies to consider whether there is any reason to believe that people are, or could be, differently affected because of their age, sexual orientation, gender, racial group, religious beliefs/faiths, or if they have a disability.

    Equalities Monitoring

    Equalities Monitoring

    The Council currently collects information and monitors the workforce by gender, age, disability and ethnic origin. At present we do not collect data regarding religion, belief or sexual orientation at point of entry to the organisation.

    The statistics shown below are therefore based on the known workforce data only for the period 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011.

    1. Ethnic Origin of Workforce

    Public Sector Equality Duty

    Public Sector Equality Duty

    Overview

    Protected Characteristics

    Protected Characteristics

    The Equality Act, 2010 which came into force on 6th April 2011, introduced Protected Characteristics which replaced Equality Strands.

    The protected characteristics are:

    Access for Disabled

    Access for Disabled

    Breckland Council is keen to promote and ensure where possible that all buildings and services are accessible to all.

    Working together to improve access for all