Equalities policies and standards
Our main equalities policies and the law, community cohesion and conflict, Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs), monitoring and the use of data, making services accessible and seeking the views of citizens.
The Council’s Code of Conduct summarises the responsibilities of all employees to advance equality of opportunity, eliminate discrimination on account of a person’s gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, faith, age and transgender status and foster good relations.
3. Equalities (from Code of Conduct)
3.1 Your commitment to implement equalities in all aspects of your work is fundamental to effective service and working relationships.
3.2 All members of the local community, customers and colleagues have a right to be treated with fairness and equity.
3.3 The Public Sector Equality duty applies to all decisions made by the Council. The duty includes the need to promote equality for persons with “protected characteristics” i.e. age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and have due regard to the need to i) eliminate discrimination, harassment, and victimisation; ii) advance equality of opportunity; and iii) foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not share it.
3.4 The council will not tolerate discriminatory behaviour, including harassment, which will be dealt with using the Disciplinary policy and may lead to criminal proceedings.