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Agenda item

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Update Report, including Race Matters Pledge and Equalities Pledge

Cabinet Member: Cabinet Member for Communities, Safety & Business Recovery, Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed

Officer: Chief Executive, Katherine Kerswell

Key decision: yes

Decision:

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

 

RESOLVED: To

 

1. Consider and have due regard to the responses to the consultation on the Race Matters and Equalities Pledges, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report;

2. Agree that the Race Matters and Equalities Pledges, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, be adopted by the Council, subject to the following amendment to section 3.9: ‘we are working to become an anti-racist organisation by embedding this in our strategies, actions and behaviours and by making a difference to the lived experience of our communities’;

3. Agree that the Race Matters Pledge be renamed the George Floyd - Race Matters Pledge;

4. Subject to recommendation 1 being approved, note the plan to hold a promotion event for the Equalities Pledge on 8 March 2022 – International Women’s Day;

5. Subject to recommendations 1 and 2 being approved, note the plan to hold an event marking the George Floyd Race Matters Pledge on 25 May 2022- the 2nd anniversary of George Floyd’s brutal murder;

6. Agree the monitoring arrangements in respect of both pledges, as set out in paragraphs 5.2 – 5.10 of the report;

7. Note the successful implementation of the Tea time talks, Safe Spaces initiative and Guardians programme within the Council, as part of the culture change programme within the Croydon Renewal Plans;

8. Following the Motion debate at the Council meeting on 13 December 2021, agree that the Council adopt the definition of Islamophobia, as developed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims, and set out in paragraph 6.3 of the report;

9. Authorise the Interim Assistant Chief Executive to make amendments to Council policies and procedures to incorporate the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims definition of Islamophobia; and

10. Note the proposal for the establishment of an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Cabinet Advisory Board by the Leader, with terms of reference to be agreed by the Leader of the Council

Minutes:

Cllr Ali (Chair) invited Cllr Shahul-Hameed to introduce the item.

 

Cllr Shahul-Hameed acknowledged the work of colleagues and outlined the ten recommendations and pledges previously discussed, the work involved and decisions required by Cabinet. Members heard about activities to improve organisational changes and commitments to the pledges as well as ways in which the work would be scrutinised and reported.

 

Colleagues were reminded of previous discussions around EDI and welcomed Andrew Brown (CEO, Croydon’s BME Forum) to the meeting.

 

In his introduction, Mr Brown informed Cabinet of the background of the Steering Group and its aims to eradicate all forms of racism within organisations. He welcomed his colleague, Barnabus Sherbourne (Chief Executive, Legacy Youth Zone) and colleagues heard about commitments from many organisations in ensuring that the antiracism message was promoted across the borough.

 

The Chair thanked the speakers and invited members to comment.

 

In the discussion, members made several points:

 

·         They welcomed the pledges and acknowledged the benefits of commitment alongside other boroughs which tackled issues of racism;

·         Businesses, the Police and the voluntary sector needed to embrace the pledges and support the work;

·         How would the ethos be embedded in the Council’s mission?

·         With regards to housing, a large percentage of those in social housing were from minority backgrounds. Monitoring of ethnic bias should be considered and embedded within directions of work around this with housing associations.

·         They said that politicians had a duty to move this forward within their portfolios and amongst their communities and provide assurance that progress was being made.

·         They welcomed the report but challenged some of the issues around discrimination. Celebration of diversity was key and needed to be incorporated into these policies.

 

Cllr Shahul-Hameed responded to comments and referred to consultations and reports that had contributed to progress on this work. She acknowledged the importance of inclusion of all characteristics and reminded members of other programmes undertaken by the Council to support staff and the wider community.

 

The Chair referred to section 3.9 of the report (bullet point 1) and suggested an amendment to read:

 

Working to become an anti-racist organisation by embedding these in our strategies, actions and behaviours and by making a difference to the lived experience of our communities.

 

The amendment was seconded and agreed.

 

Members agreed the recommendations of the report.

 

The Leader of the Council delegated authority to the Cabinet to make the following decisions:

 

RESOLVED: To

 

1.     Consider and have due regard to the responses to the consultation on the Race Matters and Equalities Pledges, as set out in Appendix 1 of the report;

 

2.     Agree that the Race Matters and Equalities Pledges, as set out in Appendix 2 of the report, be adopted by the Council, subject to the following amendment to section 3.9: ‘we are working to become an anti-racist organisation by embedding this in our strategies, actions and behaviours and by making a difference to the lived experience of our communities’;

 

3.     Agree that the Race Matters Pledge be renamed the George Floyd - Race Matters Pledge;

 

4.     Subject to recommendation 1 being approved, note the plan to hold a promotion event for the Equalities Pledge on 8 March 2022 – International Women’s Day;

 

5.     Subject to recommendations 1 and 2 being approved, note the plan to hold an event marking the George Floyd Race Matters Pledge on 25 May 2022- the 2nd anniversary of George Floyd’s brutal murder;

 

6.     Agree the monitoring arrangements in respect of both pledges, as set out in paragraphs 5.2 – 5.10 of the report;

 

7.     Note the successful implementation of the Tea time talks, Safe Spaces initiative and Guardians programme within the Council, as part of the culture change programme within the Croydon Renewal Plans;

 

8.     Following the Motion debate at the Council meeting on 13 December 2021, agree that the Council adopt the definition of Islamophobia, as developed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims, and set out in paragraph 6.3 of the report;

 

9.     Authorise the Interim Assistant Chief Executive to make amendments to Council policies and procedures to incorporate the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims definition of Islamophobia; and

 

10.  Note the proposal for the establishment of an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Cabinet Advisory Board by the Leader, with terms of reference to be agreed by the Leader of the Council.

Supporting documents: