Decision – Torbay Inclusion Strategy

That Cabinet
recommends to Council:

1.      that the
list of Policy Framework documents set out in Torbay
Council’s Constitution be updated to include the Inclusion
Strategy for Torbay for 2025 – 2030 and that the Strategy be
approved; and

2.      subject to
1. above, the Inclusion Strategy for Torbay for 2025 – 2030
action plan as set out in Appendix 2 to the submitted report be
approved.

Under our Public
Sector Equality Duty, the Council must publish one or more equality
objectives every four years.  The
Inclusion Strategy aims to holistically bring together the
Council’s work on inclusion and its equality objectives into
one overarching document to support the Council to meet its Public
Sector Equality Duty.

An alternative option
would be to not progress with an Inclusion Strategy or publish
refreshed equality objectives.

This was not deemed to
be a suitable option.  The Council had a
legal obligation to publish equality objectives.  Under the Public Sector Equality Duty, it was
important that the Council promoted and fully embedded inclusion. A
strategic and joined up approach would help to achieve this.

The decision in
respect of 1. above will be considered at the Adjourned Annual
Council meeting on 15 May 2025.  The
decision in respect of 2. above will come into force and may be
implemented on 29 April 2025 unless the call-in procedure is
triggered (as set out in the Standing Orders in relation to
Overview and Scrutiny).

Under the Equality Act
the Council was subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty which
meant that the Council needed to give ‘due regard’ to
equality.  The General Duty required the
Council to: 

·        
Eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation, and
other conduct prohibited by the Act; 

·        
Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a
protected characteristic and those who do not; and 

·        
Foster good relations between people who share a protected
characteristic and people who do not.

In August 2021, the
Council set its equality objectives. 
The Council had subsequently refreshed its equality objectives
which would sit within the Inclusion Strategy.  The Council had taken steps to promote inclusion,
however, the Council was aware that further work was needed to
fully mainstream inclusion across the Council and was fully
committed to doing so.  The proposed
equality objectives aimed to support the Council to continue this
work in a meaningful and impactful manner.  The equality objectives would be delivered through
a mixture of business-as-usual activities and specific activity
included within the Inclusion Action Plan.

At the meeting
Councillor Tranter proposed and Councillor Tyerman seconded a
motion that was agreed unanimously by the Cabinet, as set out
above.