Issue - meetings

Equality and Diversity Update

Meeting: 10/02/2021 - Cabinet (Item 84)

84 Equality and Diversity Update pdf icon PDF 253 KB

To consider the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods updating Members on the work council officers have undertaken regarding equalities, as well as the work the Equality and Diversity Working Group has completed this year.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED that the work undertaken by council officers, the Equality and Diversity Working Group, elected members and council partners regarding equalities be welcomed.

 

Minutes:

Cabinet considered the report of the Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods that updated Members on the work council officers have undertaken regarding equalities, as well as the work the Equality and Diversity Working Group has completed this year.

 

The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods reminded Members of the discussion of the report by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 1st February 2021, the actions taken and that it had been driven forward by the passion of individual officers and elected members of all parties for equality and diversity.  She emphasised the importance of demonstrating action as well as taking it.  The Cabinet Member for Communities and Neighbourhoods commented that it was appropriate that the report had been considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in Race Equality Week when Members were especially mindful of longstanding issues recently highlighted by the Black Lives Matter movement.  She stressed that all opportunities to consider the impact of decisions and to take positive action must be seized and reassured Members that they would continue to receive updates into the future.

 

The Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Strategy advised Members to recall the quotation that `the sum of minorities is usually the majority’ and be proud to be part of a relatively tolerant city.  He however reminded them that even in 2021 there was still racism and homophobia to be challenged and it was everyone’s duty to do so.  The Cabinet Member for Environment stated that he was particularly interested in what the independent commission established to review race relations in Gloucester might find when it reports (Cabinet 11th November 2020 minute 45).  The Cabinet Member for Economic Recovery and Growth congratulated everyone, including partner organisations, who had contributed to the update and commended its breadth, openness and the tone it set for how people conduct themselves in the city.  She reiterated the point that there should be no bystanders when it came to challenging inequality and promoting diversity.

 

 

RESOLVED that the work undertaken by council officers, the Equality and Diversity Working Group, elected members and council partners regarding equalities be welcomed.