Wokingham Borough Council is asking residents to help create a fairer community for all. The council is updating its Equality Plan and is seeking views on the objectives it should include. Feedback will help shape an action plan to guide the council’s equalities work from 2021 to 2025.
The plan will set out how the authority will improve its performance for people with the protected characteristics as set out in the Equalities Act 2010. In order to do this, we need to hear from local residents and stakeholders on our proposed draft.
All those who take part in the consultation will have a chance to enter a prize draw to win their choice of a £100 Amazon or One4all voucher (staff and elected councillors not eligible).
The draft plan has three overall objectives:
- Listen and learn from our communities and use this to deliver services that work well for everyone
- Actively champion our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and tackle inequality together
- Build a diverse and engaged workforce where everybody is respected
Feedback from the consultation will be used to create an action plan, which will be part of the final Equality Plan.
Leader of the council John Halsall said: “We are a council that celebrates diversity, promotes equality, tackles discrimination and is antiracist. Our vision is to be a great place to live, learn, work and grow and a great place to do business and this includes everyone. There is no place for discrimination in any society.
“I urge everybody to take part in this survey as the more voices – and in particular the more diverse voices – we hear, the stronger our plan will be. The survey only takes a short time to complete and, by doing so, you’ll help us create a fairer borough.”
The consultation can be found on the council’s website at www.wokingham.gov.uk/consultations and will be open until 24 January 2021. The findings will be used to refine the Equality Plan, which is due to be adopted by the council in March next year.
Earlier this year, the council carried out a survey on the impact of racism in the borough. The findings have been used by the borough’s Community Safety Partnership’s recent analysis of Hate Crime so that a specific action plan can be made to tackle racism.
