Equality and diversity

What is equality and diversity?

Equality and diversity is a term used to define and champion equality, diversity and human rights as defining values of society.  It promotes equality of opportunity for all, giving every individual the chance to achieve their potential, free from prejudice and discrimination.

Equality in the workplace means that all employees are treated equally and none are discriminated against. Diversity in the workplace means that the organisation actively welcomes people from a variety of backgrounds and reflects this attitude in its hiring policies and workplace culture.

The Equality Act 2010

The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from discrimination in the workplace and in wider society.  The Act sets out the protected characteristics which are; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

The Equality Act 2010 - Easy Read version (pdf 1.3mb)

The Equality Act 2010 (external website) 

Public Sector Equality Duty

The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) also means that public bodies have a duty to consider all individuals when carrying out their day-to-day work in shaping policy, in delivering services and in relation to their own employees. Public bodies have due regard to the need to eliminate discrimination, advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between different people.

Public Sector Equality Duty (external website) 

What is the council's commitment to equality?

The council is committed to fulfilling its role as an employer, service provider, purchaser of goods and services and community leader without discrimination. We are pleased to publish our Equality Plan/Policy below:

Equalities Plan 2020-24 (pdf 919kb)

How does the council comply with the Public Sector Equality Duty?

In accordance with the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), the council is required to publish Equality Objectives. We are pleased to publish the three objectives below:

Equality Objectives 2020-24

• Council services are as accessible as possible and appropriate to users’ needs for people with a protected characteristic
• Protected characteristic groups can participate in all relevant consultations and engagement activities, helping ensure their ability to influence the decision-making process
• Improve the health and well-being of people in the community with a protected characteristic. 

Publishing information

As part of our duties under the Public Sector Equality Duty, we are also required to publish progress towards the equality duty and our equality objectives as seen above. 

Please find out more from the reports below:

Annual Progress Towards the Equality Duty and Equality Objectives 2020-21 (pdf 276kb)

Annual Progress Towards the Equality Duty and Equality Objectives 2018-19 (pdf 158kb)

Annual Progress Towards the Equality Duty and Equality Objectives 2017-18 (pdf 152kb)

Annual Progress Towards the Equality Duty and Equality Objectives 2016-17 (pdf 130kb)

Equality Analysis in decision-making

The Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) includes a ‘duty of inquiry’, which requires public authorities to have an adequate evidence base for their decision-making.  

The council has an updated ‘Equality Analysis’ process to identify if a proposed change (a change to a policy, strategy, service, or budget) could have a potential impact (create inequality or increase existing inequalities) for people with a protected characteristic. This includes service users, residents, and council employees.

If it is identified, using the Equality Analysis Screening (Stage 1) form, that there could be a potential impact on protected characteristic groups due to a proposed change, then further investigation is carried out in a full Equality Analysis (Stage 2).

The council’s equality analysis form templates:

Equality Analysis Screening Form - Stage 1 (pdf 115kb)

Equality Analysis Screening Form - Stage 2 (pdf 139kb)

During 2020-21 (April ‘20 – March ‘21) the council has completed 24 Stage one screening forms. As council decisions aim to advance equality of opportunity, and with the council undertaking a range of activities to support sustained positive change in line with the Equality Act, none of these screening forms have progressed to Stage 2. Throughout this period, we have continued to monitor and assess the impact of the pandemic on protected characteristic groups and to assess the implications of post-Brexit immigration changes for our existing employees who are EU nationals and in relation to future recruitment needs.

Please see the table below for the completed Equality Analysis (Stage 2) forms from previous years:

How does the council monitor equality and diversity?

Equality monitoring information - Workforce

The Public Sector Equality Duty requires us to collect and monitor equality information on our workforce.  Please see our workforce reports below:

Equalities Workforce Information Report 2020-21 (pdf 204kb)

Equalities Workforce Information Report 2018-19 (pdf 606kb)

Equalities Workforce Information Report 2017-18 (pdf 501kb)

Equalities Workforce Information Report 2016/17 (pdf 473kb)

Equalities Workforce Information Report 2015/16 (pdf 768kb)

Gender pay gap

Under the Equalities Act 2010 (Specific Duties and Public Authorities) Regulations 2017, employers with 250 or more employees are required to publish statutory gender pay gap calculations on an annual basis. 

For further information, please visit the Gender pay gappage.

Equality monitoring information - service users

Many council services already collect their own equality monitoring information which is used to help inform service provision.

In order to improve equality data collection across the organisation and to extend the range of data we are able to publish in the future, we have standardised the equality categories and questions asked within surveys/consultations and also, within the Council’s new customer relationship management system (Contact 360).

For those services where we do not currently collect data on all nine protected characteristic groups, we are looking at plans to improve this.

Needs assessments

The LGBT strategic needs assessment was completed in 2019 and include findings relating to service provision in the East Riding and topics such as hate crime, education and young people, social isolation, mental health, sexual health and smoking, alcohol and drugs.

LGBT Needs Assessment (pdf 1mb)

How does the council communicate with different protected groups?

Disability Advisory Group (DAG)

The council, East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, currently lead the Disability Advisory Group, which includes representatives from many disability-related organisations. The purpose of the groups is to: 

• provide a forum to consult, liaise with and inform communities

• play a key role in consultation on matters which could impact on residents with a disability

• help influence and inform the way local policy and strategy is implemented by public sector bodies.

Minutes from the most recent meetings can be accessed here:

DAG Minutes Feb 2018 (pdf 199kb)

DAG Minutes Nov 2017 (pdf 157kb)

DAG Minutes Aug 2017 (pdf 143kb)

DAG Minutes May 2017 (pdf 30kb)

DAG Minutes February 2017 (pdf 30kb)

East Riding Equalities Network (EREN)

Equality leads from public sector organisations such as the council, East Riding of Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group and Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Humberside Fire and Rescue, and Humberside Police, meet periodically to discuss any emerging issues.

Translation and Interpretation

The council uses an external translation and interpretation service provider to ensure those who do not speak English can still access our services.  The provider covers over 400 languages, including British Sign Language and Braille and they offer face to face, video and telephone interpreting, along with written translation services.

How diverse is the population of the East Riding?

The East Riding of Yorkshire has 171 parishes and 26 wards, covering 930 square miles and has a population of 338,061 (2017 ONS estimates).  The headline facts for some of the protected characteristics are listed below:

Race 

The ethnic minority population in the East Riding is low, with 96% of the population being ‘British White’ (2011 Census).

Religion or belief

As of 2011, Christianity is still the most prominently practiced religion in the East Riding, although there was a notable decrease of 11.6% in figures since 2001 (2011 Census).

Sexual orientation

There is currently limited information on the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, (LGB) population in the East Riding.  However, based on Government estimates that around 5-7% of the UK population were likely to be LGB, this equates to approximately 16,000 – 18,000 East Riding residents.

Age

The East Riding has a very high proportion of people of pensionable age at 25%, compared to 21% in the Humber and 18% in England. This figure is projected to increase to 33% by 2039 (ONS Population Projections).

Disability

Based on UK estimates by the Department for Working Pensions (DWP) the proportion of all people with a disability as of 2015/16, is around 21%. This equates to around 1 in 5 people and around 80,000 people in the East Riding (DWP, 2016).

Further information on the demographics of the East Riding can be found at the East Riding data observatory and also the Government website:

Data Observatory (external website)

Government Statistic (external website)

What is a hate crime/incident and how do I report it?

A hate incident/crime is when a person is targeted because of who they are. 

Any crimes, physical or verbal attacks committed against someone because of their disability, gender identity, race, religion, beliefs or sexual orientation are hate crimes and should be reported.

If you have experienced, witnessed or been told about a hate incident, no matter how small (even if you don’t require any action to be taken), please use the Police online reporting form available via the website below:

Humberside Police - Reporting Hate Crime (external website)

Alternatively, you can telephone 101 or if it's an emergency dial 999.

Hate Crime, So Do We - Leaflet (pdf 914kb)