Work to ensure that the Council promotes equality, reduces inequality, and supports diversity continues at pace, a report sets out today.
At a Plymouth City Council Cabinet meeting on 11 March, members will hear more about the work that has been undertaken over the past year to improve equality, diversity and inclusion measures within the organisation. This includes:
- Becoming a White Ribbon Accredited organisation as part of our ongoing commitment to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG).
- Delivering training to employees on how to report a hate crime.
- Setting up a Cost of Living Taskforce to coordinate a city-wide effort to provide support for Plymouth families impacted by the rising cost of living.
- Treating care experience as if it were a Protected Characteristic, which is a commitment to ensuring the interests of care experienced young people are at the heart of everything the Council does. Plymouth became one of 29 Local Authorities across the UK to take this position although this number has now reached over 80.
- Launching and supporting a range of internal employee networks, which aim to help encourage an understanding and celebration of difference within the organisation.
- Created a Equality and Diversity Calendar, to celebrate the different religious and cultural celebrations which communities mark in Plymouth, and to celebrate our city’s diversity in a meaningful way.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities and Chair of Child Poverty Working Group, said:
“The diversity of our city is something we are immensely proud of and is one of our greatest strengths.
“We want to make sure that our residents find Plymouth to a fair, inclusive and safe place to live, work, worship and enjoy.
“This policy will play a central role in helping to guide us over the coming years. We expect the highest standards of ourselves and it will help us shape the services we provide, ensuring that diversity and inclusion is integral to everything that we do.”
Cabinet will also confirm the objectives for the coming year which set out how the council will further shape services for residents which actively address inequality and exclusion, as well as the high standards the council will continue to expect of itself.
The plan was developed in collaboration with a range of external stakeholders and included a consultation held earlier this year.
In 2024/28, the Council’s equality and diversity objectives are:
Objective 1: Plymouth is a welcoming city where we will work together in partnership to:
- promote equality, diversity and inclusion
- facilitate community cohesion
- support people with different backgrounds and lived experiences to get on well together
Objective 2: The Council will give specific consideration to care experienced people in its decision-making to raise aspirations, increase opportunities and seek to improve their life outcomes, including access to training, employment and housing, and will encourage other organisations to do the same.
Objective 3: The Council will continue to build and develop a diverse workforce that represents the community and citizens it serves.
Objective 4: The Council will support diverse communities so they feel confident to seek support and advice, report crime and anti-social behaviour, including hate crime and hate incidents, and work with partners to ensure Plymouth is a city where everybody feels safe and welcome.
At the same time, the Council has recently appointed a new Welcoming City Champion, Councillor Angela Penrose, ward councillor for Compton.
Angela will work with our key institutions, partners and the wider community to help identify how this can become a reality.
Councillor Angela Penrose, added: “Whilst a lot has been achieved over the past twelve months we are not going to rest on our laurels – there is so much more to do.
“Over the coming months we will build on these foundations, will listen to our communities, and encourage our partners in Plymouth to make decisions and deliver services which reflect the diversity of our city that benefit each and every resident.
“I am proud of the work that we have done over the past year to really ensure that we are a fair and welcoming city and contribute to the vision of becoming one of Europe's most vibrant waterfront cities, where an outstanding quality of life is enjoyed by everyone.”