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Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan

Peterborough City Council is committed to creating a bigger and better Peterborough that grows in the right way, and through truly sustainable development and growth that:

  • Improves the quality of life of all its people and communities, and ensures that all communities benefit from growth and the opportunities it brings
  • Creates a truly sustainable Peterborough, the urban centre of a thriving sub-regional community of villages and market towns. A healthy, safe and exciting place to live, work and visit, famous as the environment capital of the UK

We have three equality objectives:

  1. Understanding and working with our communities
  2. Responsive services and customer care
  3. Diverse and engaged workforce

A set of more specific aims supports each objective. These aims will guide the work we do in the city and in the council over the next two years and help us retain our focus on important areas, so we can really make a difference.

Our equality objectives are based on evidence and feedback that we collect from residents, customers and our staff. They also reflect and help address areas of persistent inequality.

Objective One - Understanding and working with our communities

  • 1.1 - As the census information becomes available, we will produce accessible infographics of key data about Peterborough to help us tell the story about our city.

  • 1.2 - We will establish a set of data standards for our equalities reporting that will enable us to benchmark ourselves against this census data.

  • 1.3 - We will start to build these data standards into our systems as we re-procure or update the systems that support our service delivery.

  • 1.4 - We will identify some key services where we can strengthen our presentation of equalities data using tools that will help this data to be more accessible, including geographic analysis which shows what is happening across the city.

  • 1.5 - We will take the opportunity to improve the data we collect from people with protected characteristics through our public consultations about services such as Waste, Highways and Transport. This data will inform actions we can take to mitigate any detrimental impact of our activity on people from these groups.

  • 1.6 - We will explore how our existing systems can be developed so that we are better able to capture data about our customers, in accordance with data protection legislation, including those customers with protected characteristics. This data will be used to inform improvements to our services for example, in the delivery of our Highways service.  

  • 1.7 - Maximise the role of the Peterborough Council for Voluntary Services in facilitating feedback and representation from communities across the city, ensuring their consultative forums are mindful of the protected characteristics and the wider social-economic inequalities experienced by individuals, families and communities across Peterborough.

  • 1.8 - Maximise the role of the Parish Council Liaison Forum in furthering our equalities, diversity and inclusion activity, making best use of The Good Neighbours Programme and their access to other groups.

  • 1.9 - Ensure we use the Community Champions Network to further our Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion work. 

  • 1.10 - Where we are involved in specific developments, in locations across the City, ensure we create meaningful links with local communities to ensure their needs are understood and taken into account in the delivery of our work. 

  • 1.11 - We will ensure that our website meets the required accessibility standards, publishing our Accessibility Statement so that everyone can track our progress.

  • 1.12 - We will develop training for our staff so they know how they can meet these accessibility standards when engaging with our customers and our communities.  

  • 1.13 - We will review our IT systems to help staff to make their content accessible.

Objective Two - Responsive services and customer care

  • 2.1 - Our standard terms and conditions, for all contracts, will include a statement regarding how we expect service providers to meet their responsibilities under the Equalities Act.

  • 2.2 - Equality and diversity policies will be requested when we commission or recommission services.

  • 2.3 - Contract management will take into account equality and diversity requirements. E.g. smaller contracts, based around meeting an individual’s needs, will be monitored to ensure these needs are met. Larger contracts will be required to provide data on how they are responding to the needs of people with protected characteristics to ensure people are signposted and supported in a way that is appropriate.

  • 2.4 - We will review the operation of our Communities Fund, to see how we can increase the proportion of applications from informal groups and networks to ensure that communities that are under-represented are able to receive support through this scheme.   

  • 2.5 - We will review our contracts with our major suppliers, such as the contracts with Aragon Direct Services and Milestone Infrastructure, to see how they are monitoring their performance in relation to equalities, diversity and inclusion. Our aim will be to strengthen this performance monitoring. For example, how can they improve their monitoring to take into account inequalities arising from socio-economic disadvantage as well as understanding the impact of their activity on people with protected characteristics.    

Objective Three - Diverse and engaged workforce

  • 3.1 - We will review our recruitment practices and deliver a plan for improvement where issues are highlighted.

  • 3.2 - We will implement a succession planning process to identify and develop new, potential leaders who can move into leadership roles when they become vacant.

  • 3.3 - Encourage staff to complete their equality data on our internal HR System.

  • 3.4 - Monitor, analyse and publish employment data in accordance with our statutory and non-statutory duties - i.e. Equality Monitoring Report and Ethnicity Pay Gap.

  • 3.5 - Review how staff report bullying and harassment via formal and informal routes and how we analyse this information.

  • 3.6 - We will continue to analyse leavers' exit questionnaires for evidence of inequality.

  • 3.7 - We shall ensure that our internal HR documents are accessible and inclusive ensuring these documents work for everyone.

  • 3.8 - Review how we promote information on cultural celebrations.

  • 3.9 - Review the current Equality Impact Assessment process and documents, and develop Member and Officer training. 

  • 3.10 - Develop mandatory core equality and diversity training and supplement this with additional, optional modules including additional manager specific training.

  • 3.11 - Facilitate the creation of a staff equality diversity and inclusivity network.

  • 3.12 - Incorporate equality, diversity and inclusivity objectives for all teams within our regular reviews and check ins with internal staff.
Published: 04 July 2023