City of York Council’s Executive has endorsed its new ‘Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2024-27’, pending the outcome of public consultation.
Equality objectives are required as part of meeting the council’s Public Sector Equality Duty and are a core commitment in the approved Council Plan, ‘One City, for all.’
The Executive has also approved that officers carry out a public consultation on the draft strategy to inform the final three year strategy and action plan for approval in autumn 2024.
Councillor Katie Lomas, Executive Member for Finance, Performance, Major Projects and Equalities, said,
In our Council Plan, 'One City for all' we were absolutely clear that Equalities and Human Rights and Equality of opportunity is one of our four core commitments to the people of York.
"We prioritised creating opportunities for all, providing equal opportunity and balancing the human rights of everyone to ensure residents and visitors alike can benefit from the city and its strengths. Further, we have committed additional resources to making sure that happens.
“This new strategy and those resources are vital parts of that work, and if we are to stand up to hate and work hard to champion our communities, then co-creating the plan to do that with people from all parts of our communities is critical to getting that right.”
Councillor Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, added,
In order to deliver on our equalities and human rights Council Plan commitment, it’s essential we listen to the views of all our residents and businesses.
"Only by doing this can we ensure we’re being fully inclusive and best placed to develop a strategy and action plan that’s responsive to their needs. Our residents and businesses are all different. We need to hear from as many of them as possible to build a partnership approach that helps deliver genuinely inclusive council services."
The Council Plan One City, For all 2023-2027 identifies 'Equalities and Human Rights - Equality of opportunity' as a core commitment, saying, "We will create opportunities for all, providing equal opportunity and balancing the human rights of everyone to ensure residents and visitors alike can benefit from the city and its strengths. We will stand up to hate and work hard to champion our communities."
It contains a specific priority to deliver being recognised by the Local Government Association as “excellent” in Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion.
A further report will be brought to Executive with the results of the public consultation.