Equality Standards for Local Government
Brief Outline
The Equality Standard for Local Government (‘the standard’)
has been developed by a partnership between the Commission for Racial
Equality, Disability Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunities Commission
now known collectively as the Eqaulity and Human Rights Commission ( EHRC) and the Employers’ Organisation for Local Government with assistance
from the Audit Commission. It is part of the Best Value Performance Indicator
scheme.
The ‘standard’ sets out what is expected of the Isle of Wight
Council to enable it to achieve each level in each area of activity. It
provides a framework for improving equality practice and producing equitable
outcomes in service delivery and employment.
By implementing this Comprehensive Equality Plan (CEP) the council is
mainstreaming equalities into service delivery and employment. Working
through the ‘standard’ will identify barriers that create
disadvantage, and enable these issues to be resolved.
The ‘standard’ builds upon the principles of quality leadership
and community involvement that are central features of modern local government.
Successful implementation of the Standard depends upon sound partnership
between the council and the wider community.
In order to achieve Level 1 of the Standard, local authorities are required
to produce a comprehensive equality plan. A brief outline of each of the
five levels is described below:
| Level 1: Commitment to a comprehensive equality plan |
To achieve Level 1 of the Equality Standard for Local Government the
Isle of Wight Council must have in place a comprehensive equality
plan which commits the council to achieving equality in race, gender
and disability among its workforce through:
- Improving equality practice at both corporate and departmental
level;
- Ensuring specific resources are allocated to improve equality
practice;
- Service planning impact assessments, equality action planning
and equality target setting within all service areas;
- Systematic consultation;
- A fair employment and equal pay policy;
- Progress monitoring;
- Audit and scrutiny
|
| Level 2: Assessment and consultation |
To achieve Level 2 of the Equality Standard for Local Government
the Isle of Wight Council will need to demonstrate that:
- It has engaged in an impact/needs/requirement assessment process;
- It has engaged in consultation with designated community, staff
and stakeholder groups;
- It has engaged in the development of information and monitoring
systems;
- It has engaged in an equality action planning process for employment,
pay and service delivery;
- It is developing a system of self-assessment, scrutiny and
audit
|
| Level 3: Setting equality objectives and targets |
To achieve Level 3 of the Equality Standard for Local Government the
Isle of Wight Council will have to demonstrate that:
- It has completed a full and systematic consultation process
with designated community, staff and stakeholder groups;
- It has set equality objectives from employment, pay and service
delivery based on impact and needs/requirements assessments and
consultation;
- Equality objectives have been translated into action plans
with specific targets;
- Action on achieving targets has started
|
| Level 4: Information systems and monitoring
against targets |
To achieve Level 4 of the Equality Standard for Local Government the
Isle of Wight Council will have to demonstrate that:
- It has developed and monitoring systems that allow it to assess
progress in achieving targets;
- It is measuring progress against targets and effectively its
information and monitoring systems;
- Monitoring reports are being produced at specific intervals
and circulated to designated consultation and scrutiny groups;
- Monitoring systems providing useful information about progress
towards specific targets
|
| Level 5: Achieving and reviewing outcomes |
To achieve Level 5 of the Equality Standard for Local Government the
Isle of Wight Council will have to demonstrate that it has made considerable
progress in achieving equal employment and service provision with
regard to race, gender and disability
- It has achieved the targets that it has set at level 3;
- It has reviewed and revised targets, monitoring and consultation
systems with designated community staff and stakeholder groups;
- It has initiated a new round of action planning and target
setting;
- Through its achievements it can be seen as an example of good
practice of other local authorities and agencies
|
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