Equality and Diversity

Gedling Borough Council recognises that the people that it serves have different needs and priorities.  The Council is committed to treating all of its customers and staff fairly without discrimination and prejudice and by providing equal access to our services, citizen participation and employment and training opportunities.

The Equality Standard for Local Government was launched in 2001(revised in 2007) and is now adopted by 90% of all Local Authorities, including Gedling Borough Council. The Standard guides Local Authorities on how to embed main equalities into policy and practice at all levels.

Consultation is currently taking place in order to replace the Standard with a New Equality Framework and Gedling Borough Council is already making plans for this. Please visit the Equality Standard for Local Government 2007 website.  

In order to progress equalities across the whole Council, a number of measures have been put in place:

An Equality Steering Group meets on monthly basis in order to monitor the implementation of the Corporate Equality & Diversity Plan and discuss the current issues related to equality.  The group links its work to the work of Gedling Cohesive Communities Forum , a group that is part of Gedling Partnership, the local strategic partnership for the Borough.  Please visit Gedling Partnership website for more information.

A Corporate Equality & Diversity Plan has been developed to ensure that equality and diversity practice across the Authority will be implemented.  This plan is currently being updated.

The following documents can be downloaded:

• Equal Opportunities Policy
• Corporate Equality Plan
• Race Equality Scheme
• Disability Equality Scheme
• Gender Equality Scheme  

Equality Impact Assessments involve assessing the policies and functions of Gedling Borough Council and their impact on different groups in our community.  Departments carry out Equality Impact Assessment to identify potential impact of new services, policies, procedures or projects on all parts of the community and then identify steps needed to ensure no group is disadvantaged.

You can download our Equality Impact Assessment Timetable – 2008/11

The following Equality Impact Assessments can be downloaded:

• The Sustainable Community Strategy Review
• Homelessness Strategy(draft version)
• Benefit Fraud – Interviews Under Caution
• The Council’s Direct Payment of Housing Benefit Policy
• Benefits – Visiting Officer Service
• Council Tax – Collection and Enforcement
• The integrated Council Tax and Benefits Telephone Service
• Gedling Borough Council Crime & Disorder Reduction Working
• Gedling Borough Council Neighbourhoods Working (Development)
• Licensing Statement of Principles
• Records Management Policy
• Direct Payments Policy