Diversity and equality action plan
Tower Hamlets Council has placed diversity and
equality at the core of its functions and is committed to
maintaining the very highest rating (‘Excellent’) under the new
Equality Framework for Local Government.
The national Equality Standard, which was
introduced in 2002, has been a powerful tool for taking forward a
broad and integrated approach to addressing equalities
issues.
Cabinet formally adopted the Equality Standard
in 2002 and, from that time, it has been a key reference in
planning and reviewing the Council’s equalities agenda.
In September 2009 the Equality Standard will
be replaced by the Equality Framework for Local Government. The
Framework has been designed to enable local authorities to build on
work undertaken to meet the requirements of the Equality Standard
but provides a simplified, more proportionate and locally relevant
framework for assessment. It links closely to the new Corporate
Area Assessment performance framework with a key emphasis on place
shaping and identifying and addressing the needs of local
communities.
The Framework assesses progress in five
domains:
In preparation for our assessment against the
new Framework in the autumn, this year’s Diversity and Equality
Action Plan contains a comprehensive programme of actions to ensure
that our equalities practice meets the requirements of the new
Framework and enables us to achieve an ‘Excellent’ rating.
In developing our Equality Schemes in relation
to age, disability, ethnicity, gender,
sexual orientation, religion or belief we analysed evidence of
inequality between individuals and groups in the borough.
Drawing on the Equality Measurement Framework
categories, the Equality Schemes provide a description of
inequality which distinguishes between inequality of
access and outcome. For example we know that many
new communities in the borough are less able to access public
services as they may not be aware of the services that exist, may
experience language barriers and may not be eligible for some
services.
To ensure that we respond to this inequality
of access we have a duty to engage with these communities to
identify and minimise barriers and improve access.
However we also know that for some groups and
individuals, tackling inequality of outcome is not a case simply of
improving access to services but requires a more holistic response
to a range of factors.
Mapping inequality across the equality strands
in this way has helped us to identify areas of persistent and
systemic inequality which arise from a complex interplay of factors
and require a holistic and long term response. This year's Diversity and Equality Action Plan focuses on
priority areas which require work across a number of council and
partner services. These priority areas are:
- Tackle worklessness and economic inactivity among target
groups
- Improve educational achievement for target groups
- Improving housing provision for target groups
- Strengthen cohesion between communities and individuals
- Improve health and wellbeing and tackle inequalities in
health
Supporting documents
If you need this document in another format or
require more information please contact a member of the Corporate
Equalities team on 020 7364 4454 (minicom 020 7364 3133).
Contact us:
Scrutiny and Equality Team
Chief Executive’s Directorate
Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG
Tel: 020 7364 5347