Single Equalities Scheme

Single Equalities Scheme

Gloucestershire County Council (GCC) and District Councils are committed to developing and progressing equality and diversity issues within the county. We aim to have a structured and fair approach to dealing with equality issues. Equality is broken into seven strands, which are:-

w Age
w Disability
w Gender
w Race
w Religion or Belief
w Sexual Orientation
w Transgender

Currently these strands are looked at individually, and at present we have three schemes in place looking at the Disability, Gender and Race strands in more detail. However, we want to look at these strands more collectively by developing a Single Equality Scheme, which will cover all 7 Equality strands:

A Single Equality Scheme would set out how equality would be promoted within each council.

This survey asks you for your views on equalities issues in Gloucestershire, what you think about our existing equality schemes and also what you think about a future Single Equality Scheme.

Your views will allow us to make sure the Single Equality Scheme concentrates on the issues that are important to our communities and residents, and will help make sure the new scheme is as useful as it can be.

This survey closes on the 16th November 2009.

Single Equality Scheme

This section asks you about your views on equality issues in Gloucestershire and a future Single Equality Scheme.

Each council is developing its own Single Equality Scheme and action plan, which will set out how discrimination will be challenged, how equality of opportunity will be encouraged and how all residents will have equality of access to our services.

Our view is that this approach will make it easier for individuals, communities, partners and our own employees to see what we are doing to promote equality, and will also make it easier for our progress to be checked and challenged.

Single Equality Scheme (cont)

In principle do you think that this approach to the single equalities scheme is the right one?

Yes

	If No, please briefly explain why you feel that this approach isn't the right one.

Single Equality Scheme (cont)

We want to find out what things you think the County Council and District Council Single Equality Schemes should address. Please look at the table below and tick up to 5 things that you want or would expect each scheme to address.
	Should be addressed - GCC	Should be addressed - District Council	Specific issues /concerns (please tick and then give details in the box below)
(a) Reduce harassment and hate crime / hate incidents
(b) Reducing discrimination and inequality
(c) Make access to our services better
(d) Making it easier to access information
(e) Making sure people are treated with fairness and respect
(f) Improve chances for people, communities and partners to influence services
(g) Promote good relations between people from different backgrounds
(h) Improve opportunities to get involved in your local council or school
(i) Address health inequalities
(j) Make sure that providers who deliver services for us meet our required standards on equality
(k) Make sure employment practices are equal and fair
(l) Fighting poverty and all the disadvantages associated with it
(m) How we involve communities and consult with you

	Specific issues/concerns: (please give the letter of the option you have issues/concerns regarding)

Single Equality Scheme (cont)

	Please tell us if there is anything missing from the previous list.

The Existing Equality Scheme

Gloucestershire County Council and District Councils currently have the following equality schemes in place:

w Disability
w Gender
w Race

The Single Equality Scheme will bring these existing schemes into one document along with the other equality strands.

We want to know what you think of the existing schemes so we can better understand what parts worked, and what will need to improve in the Single Equalities Scheme.