Annual Update of Tameside’s Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11 · 2015-08-07 · Annual Update of Tameside’s Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11 This document is the Annual Update

Annual Update of Tameside’s Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11 This document is the Annual Update of Tameside Council’s Corporate Equality Scheme. Attached below are tables which outline how Tameside Council will meet its duties under equality legislation. The Tables included below update action plans aimed at achieving equality for all of the Tameside’s Residents, including:

• People of any Race or Ethnicity • People of any Gender • People who are Disabled • People of any Sexual Orientation • People of any Religion or Belief • People of any Age

The action plans below update progress against key objectives for all equality groups as follows:

• Cross-Cutting Action Plan: Containing all actions that have a cross-cutting impact on more than one equality group and actions relating to reducing inequality in relation to, Age, Sexual Orientation and Religion and Belief

• Race Equality Action Plan: Containing actions which relate specifically to meeting statutory duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000

• Gender Equality Action Plan: Containing actions which relate specifically to meeting statutory duties under the Equality Act 2006

• Disability Equality Action Plan: Containing actions which Relate specifically to meeting statutory duties under the Disability Discrimination Act 2005

Cross-Cutting Action Plan As a part of the introduction of the Single Corporate Equality Scheme in Tameside actions within equality action plans that have an impact on more than one equality group have been drawn together in a cross-cutting action plan. In addition this plan will include all actions, which, whilst not part of the disability, race, and gender equality scheme action plans, will significantly contribute to the promotion of equality and diversity throughout the borough. In particular actions that ensure equality of opportunity and eliminate discrimination and harassment for people of different sexual orientations, people of different ages and people with a range of different religions and belief systems.

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Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11: Cross-cutting Action Plan

Action No.

Action Service Responsibility

Deadline Comments Update Year End 08/09

Leadership & corporate commitment CCA1 Establish equality

targets for employment and service delivery in relation to the corporate procurement of services and create appropriate contract monitoring systems

Asst Chief Executive Policy & Performance

Mar-06 Appropriate equality targets for employment and service delivery are set and monitored: The Procurement Champions group will take a lead on this issue lead by the Procurement Unit

A formal method of monitoring how far contracts meet the Council’s equality requirements has been developed. Quarterly equality monitoring forms are collected for all contracts. The collection of Equality monitoring information is a requirement of contracts where equality is judged to be a core requirement. These contracts are primarily but not exclusively those where services are delivered directly to the local population. In order to ensure that the process was adequate in 2008 equality processes within procurement were reviewed and guidance documentation and standard clauses have been update to account for recent legislation, in particular relating to Sexual Orientation and Religion and Belief as well as the implications of the Equality Act.

CCA2 Make Corporate Equality Scheme and associated action plans available in Tameside's libraries

Policy Unit Jun-08 This action is to make the Corporate Equality Scheme available in all of Tameside's libraries for public information. The Corporate Equality Scheme includes the action plans to meet the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty Including actions which contribute to meeting

The Corporate Equality Scheme is currently available in Tameside's libraries and is published on Tameside's public website at: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity

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Action No.



the needs of all of Tameside's service users, customers and employees wherever reasonable with regard to: Age Religion or Belief Sexual Orientation This action replaces the following actions in the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; RES 18, GES 17, and DES 25.

CCA3 Make employee monitoring data available to Service Unit Managers for business planning purposes

Human Resources

Annually in Feb

Relevant employment monitoring data is provided to service unit managers each year in order to allow equalities to be taken into account within the business planning process. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; RES 4, GES 31, and

Equality Monitoring data has been provided to service unit managers to inform 2009/10 business planning Equalities Summaries.

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Action No.



DES 7.

CCA4 Promote joint working on equality issues through the Tameside Strategic Partnership (TSP) and other relevant partnerships

Head of Policy Ongoing to March 2008

There is evidence of consideration of & action on equalities issues within the partnership structure: By reporting on and discussion of equality issues at the TSP Board and the thematic partnerships

Partnership working on equalities is currently being promoted via the Tameside Strategic Partnership, joint equality group. A joint action plan was produced for this group in 2008 drawing on the priorities shared by the different organisations making up the group including the Primary Care Trust, Tameside and Glossop Foundation Trust, and New Charter Housing. In the year ahead it is intended to further develop this plan and the role of the group in order to promote joint working on equality issues across the borough.

CCA5 Fully review the Corporate Equality Scheme and all Equality Action Plans by statutory deadlines

Policy Unit Dec-09 Mar-10 May-11

Reviews set to take place by December 2009 for the Disability Equality Action Plan, March 2010 for the Gender Equality Action Plan and May 2011 for the Corporate Equality Action Plan and Race Equality Action Plan. This action replaces the following actions in the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; RES 36, GES 27, DES 40.

The Corporate Equality Scheme and Race Equality Scheme was fully reviewed prior to May 2008 in line with statutory deadlines. Following this review the Disability Equality Scheme is due to be fully reviewed by the end of December 2009, the Gender Equality Scheme by the March 2010 and the Race Equality Scheme by May 2011. Whilst these schemes have now been combined to form a single Corporate Equality Scheme for Tameside reviews of elements relating to Disability, Race and Gender equality will continue to be reviewed in line with statutory deadlines.

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Action No.



CCA6 Update progress against the Corporate Equality Plan and Race Equality Scheme on an annual basis

Policy Unit March Annually

Annual publication of the Corporate Equality Action Plans: Annual updates are published on Tameside's website

The annual update of the corporate equality scheme takes place prior to March each calendar year. As Tameside Council has now adopted a single equality scheme all annual updates of the statutory equality schemes will now take place on this timescale with the exception of years when statutory deadlines for updating individual schemes fall.

CCA7 Continue to ensure that all Council publications reflect disability equality and cultural diversity positively

Marketing & Communication and Service Unit Managers

Ongoing All corporate publications are monitored to ensure that they promote positive images of all communities in Tameside. All Equality Impact Assessments include an assessment of the availability and accessibility of public information. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following former actions in the Disability and Race equality schemes; RES 14 DES 21

All Equality Impact Assessments carried out by Tameside Council include reference to the availability of public information that is accessible and available to all relevant equality groups within the borough. The authority also works to ensure that all publications produced by the authority contain images that are reflective of the diversity within the local community. In 2008, an online image archive was produced by the marketing and communications department to help ensure that all services could access recent images that reflect the local community. The online archive is available for use by all Council employees.

CCA8 Make the Corporate Equality Scheme available in a range of formats

Policy Unit Aug-08 The Corporate Equality Scheme will be made available in an appropriate range of formats and

Tameside's Corporate Equality Scheme is available in a wide variety of formats on request. In addition easy read and summary versions of the scheme have also been produced in order to increase accessibility. The Corporate Equality

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Action No.



published on the Council's website. Summary versions of the scheme will also be made available in accessible formats.

Scheme can be accessed in all of Tameside's libraries and via the internet. In addition ongoing consultation work in relation to the scheme has helped raise awareness of the document and to bring it to the attention of a wide range of individuals and groups including Tameside's annual 'Listen Here' Disability network conference and Tameside's Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) and Interfaith networks.

Assessment, consultation & monitoring CCA9 Achieve Level 4 of the

Equality Standard by March 2009

All Service Areas and Policy Unit

Level 4 by Mar-09

Evidence to support the achievement of each level of the standard is available and verified by auditors: By working to a project plan for achieving level 4.This action will include the integration of objectives relating to Religion and Belief, Sexual Orientation and Age into all areas of the standard.

The authority has carried out an extensive self-assessment of progress towards the equality standard for local government and is now achieving level 4 of the standard. From April 2009 onwards the Equality Standard is being replaced by the Equality Framework for Local Government. Following the introduction of the new Framework the authority will set targets for achievement.

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Action No.



CCA10 Continue to develop good consultation practice guidance/models with equalities groups.

Policy Unit Ongoing Good practice is disseminated and followed: Through ongoing work with the Consultation and Engagement Link Officers Group, the Equality Champions Group and other networks such as ‘Listen Here’ Tameside’s Disability Network and referenced in the Consultation and Engagement Strategy & Toolkit This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following action in the Race Equality Scheme; RES 28

This action has been included within the Tameside Strategic Partnership Equality Group Action Plan. Partners in the group have committed to sharing information and consultation and engagement models. Within the authority the Consultation and Engagement Group information and best practice on consultation is shared and communication between this group and the equality champions group ensures that best practice models are followed.

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Action No.



CCA11 Ensure that corporate and local IT systems support the collection and analysis of employee & customer profiles

Service Unit Managers

Ongoing To ensure that employee & customer profile data is effectively gathered, stored and monitored to inform employment and service delivery. All new ICT systems are designed or commissioned to include this functionality and where possible existing ICT systems are adjusted accordingly.

The online Customer Relationship Management System is currently being upgraded to include equality monitoring information to ensure that equality groups are not differently affected by Council Services. Once in place this information will be monitored on a regular basis to identify areas where further action is necessary. This monitoring already takes place in relation to complaints within the complaints system.

CCA12 To ensure that the Statement of User Requirements documentation for all systems designed by the Councils ICT service will promote the use of standard equality monitoring categories.

ICT and Transformational Services

Ongoing This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action is to ensure that that where needed ICT systems developed by Tameside Council include relevant monitoring categories covering as a minimum, Age, Disability, Race and Gender.

Statement of User Requirement documentation prompts services to specify equality requirements and where appropriate to use standard equality monitoring questions in systems.

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Action No.



CCA13 All relevant Equality Impact Assessments to investigate the adequacy and availability of public information

Policy Unit and Service Unit Managers

Ongoing The requirement to consider the adequacy and availability of public information is a required part of existing equality impact assessment process. This action replaces the action RES 19 in the Race Equality Scheme and includes consideration of the adequacy and availability of public information for all equality groups.

All equality impact assessments contain a section on the adequacy and availability of public information quality assurance sessions which take place for all equality impact assessments ensure that responses adequately address adequacy and availability of public information.

CCA14 Monitor equality performance management

Equality Champions Group, and Senior Management Teams

Ongoing reported quarterly in the year

Equality performance management is monitored on an annual basis through updates to the Corporate Equality Scheme and Associated Action Plans. Monitoring reports are taken to Senior Management Teams throughout the year to help ensure that areas for action have been addressed effectively. Performance indicators are in

Several Mechanisms are currently in place which ensure that Equality is performance managed effectively within the authority. In Particular:Online Business Plans include summaries of key equalities information for every Service Unit and a judgement of relevance for each individual business planning actionAt a corporate level a minimum of six updates are reported to senior managers each year in order to ensure that key issues are addressedA self-assessment against the equality standard for local government is carried out annually in order to help demonstrate progress and identify future prioritiesProgress on objectives within the Corporate Equality Scheme action plans is updated on a six monthly basisPerformance indicators linked to Corporate Equality Scheme are monitored on an ongoing basis and used to inform updates to objectives

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Action No.



place to help monitor progress. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; RES 22, GES 22 and DES 32

CCA15 Complete identified Equality Impact Assessments


By the end of March Each Year

Two key corporate equality indicators have been developed showing monitoring systems in place and the proportion of employees who have received equality training within the last two years. In addition services identify indicators that are likely to have an impact on different equality groups. A framework has been developed to link these indicators to actions within the action plans

Identified within the business planning process are completed throughout the year. In 2008/09 34 of 65 originally planned impact assessments have been completed with an additional 13 due for completion following the end of March 2009. Outstanding Equality Impact Assessments at this point will be completed as a priority in the first quarter of 2009/10. Support sessions that have taken place throughout the year will be intensified during this period to ensure the completion of Equality Impact Assessments planned wherever possible.

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Action No.



associated with the Corporate Equality Scheme. This action replaces action RES 24 from the Race Equality Scheme

CCA16 Develop corporate and service area equality targets and refine them as required

Policy Unit with Heads of Service

Two key corporate equality indicators have been developed showing monitoring systems in place and the proportion of employees who have received equality training within the last two years. In addition services identify indicators that are likely to have an impact on different equality groups. A framework has been developed to link these indicators to actions within the action plans associated with the Corporate Equality Scheme. This action replaces action RES 24 from the Race Equality Scheme

Targets have been developed to match actions within the Corporate Equality Schemes in addition Equality Impact Assessments and individual service performance management includes targets to address impacts on the different groups services are being delivered to. In 2009/10 the development of targets will continue further with the disaggregation of data where possible from the new National Indicator Set.

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Action No.



CCA17 Publish all completed Equality Impact Assessments

Service Unit Managers and Policy Unit

Ongoing Completed Equality Impact Assessments are published on Tameside council's website at: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/tmbc5/impact.htm. Assessments are monitored throughout the year and regular reports to Senior Management Teams are used to monitor progress. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; RES 31, GES 24, and DES 37

Completed Equality Impact Assessments are published on Tameside's public website at the following location:http://www.tameside.gov.uk/eia

CCA18 Produce an annual Human Resources Report

Human Resources

Ongoing in March Each year

The Annual Equality Report highlights issues relating to employment with Tameside Council. Issues identified within the report are addressed on an ongoing basis as a part of ongoing

The 2007/08 annual report has been produced and is available on Tameside's public website at: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity The report covering the period 2008/09 will be available from the end of June 2009 at the same location.

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Action No.



improvement work within the Human Resources Service. Whilst initially covering Race Equality this report has now been expanded so it covers both Gender and Disability in employment. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race and Disability Equality Schemes; RES 33, DES 38

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Action No.



CCA19 Continue procedures to improve Council-wide performance against relevant HR corporate health targets

Human Resources

Ongoing Corporate health targets aim to increase the number of people in the workforce from communities that are currently underrepresented. This includes monitoring data on the number of male, female, black and minority ethnic and disabled employees in the workforce compared to their representation in the local community. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; RES 6, GES 36, DES 10

The authority is continuing to work towards further improving the diversity of its workforce. Performance Indicators used to measure progress have placed us in the top quartile for proportion of the workforce who declare themselves disabled nationally and the second quartile for proportion of staff from a BME community, when compared to all metropolitan authorities. The authority has been successful in retailing the Age Positive award and the Two Ticks disability award and has signed up to a local employment partnership agreement with the aim of developing potential job recruits. Specific work has taken place within Adults services to help ensure that the authority is able to attract, retain and develop a diverse range of staff. Examples include: - Presentations with local partners to promote jobs to people who are disabled and other equality groups - Work with the voluntary sector to reach the Black and Minority Ethnic community and increase awareness of jobs within Tameside and Council recruitment processes - Funding for and commitment to the working interview scheme with mental health services to develop skills and experience for people with mental health needs In addition the authority has used the apprentice scheme to increase the number of young people entering the workforce.

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Action No.



CCA20 Identify barriers and potential barriers to employment and take appropriate steps to address them particularly in relation to: Promotion, Training and Termination of contract

Human Resources and Service unit Managers

Annually from Mar-08

The Council produces an annual Equalities Plan, which identifies barriers to progression. Actions taken to overcome these barriers are built into People and Performance’s Business Plan as well individual business plans across the authority. Information is made available in the annual HR equalities report and progress will be monitored via Gender Equality Scheme annual update. Gender profile of staff including analysis of patterns for part-time staff Specific areas of information to monitor include: Promotion of non-traditional job roles through mediums such as the Council website, jobs fairs and schools and colleges This action contributes to meeting the: Race

Tameside's annual workforce equalities report has been produced and is available on Tameside's public website at: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversityThe report covering the period 2008/09 will be available from the end of June 2009 at the same location. These reports include monitoring information which analyses the distribution of the workforce and job applications by Race, Disability, Gender and Age and is used to identify barriers to employment and help identify further steps to be taken. In addition each service unit addresses this issue in their annual business planning equalities summary and are asked to identify and address any barriers to accessing employment.

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Action No.



Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; RES 3, GES 28, DES 4

CCA21 Ensure that occupational segregation is robustly addressed in areas identified

Human Resources and relevant areas identified

Annually from Mar-08

In order to tackle occupational segregation effectively an action plan is being developed to target relevant services across the authority. The elimination of occupational segregation is a long-term objective that is unlikely to be achieved within a three-year timescale. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Gender Equality Scheme; GES 29

Each service unit addresses this issue in their annual business planning equalities summary and are asked to identify and address any barriers to accessing employment. In addition at a corporate level Human Resources produces an annual equalities monitoring report which identifies areas where there is a differential impact on different equality groups.

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Action No.



CCA22 Ensure through corporate performance indicators and Equality Impact Assessments that all relevant Service Units have adequate customer) monitoring systems in place, for disability, race, gender, age, sexual orientation and religion / belief


Mar-09 and ongoing

Corporate monitoring questions are in use to ensure consistency. Although systems are already in place for Race, Disability, and Gender the addition of Age, Sexual Orientation and Religion / Belief to the Equality Standard for Local Government in 2007 means that further work is required to ensure that these classifications are being used where required. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race, Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; RES 1, GES 13 and DES 33

The proportion of service units with monitoring systems in place is increasing year on year and is monitored via a Local Performance indicator which shows the percentage of service units with adequate monitoring systems in place.

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Action No.



CCA23 All reports to members to identify any Equality and/or Human Rights issues that need to be considered

Democratic Services & authors of reports

Ongoing Relevant reports to include an assessment of equality and human rights issues. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race Equality Scheme RES 20

The authority ensures that where relevant and appropriate issues relating to equality and human rights are addressed in reports to members via the report checking and approval process in place for formal reports to related members. As a result relevant reports include information about relevant equality issues.

Equal access to services & customer care CCA24 Continue to plan and

deliver the access requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (part 3)

Architectural Services, Asst Executive Directors and Service Unit Managers

Ongoing Plans will be achieved by completing or undertaking the changes required: Through buildings adaptations and changes to service delivery identified by Access Audits. Progress towards this action will be monitored by local performance indicators

Targeted adaptations continuing successfully. These are monitored by Local Performance Indicators which measure the proportion of the Council run buildings that are accessible under the Disability Discrimination Act. Between April and December 2009 there was a 5% increase in the percentage of Council run buildings accessible under the Disability Discrimination Act.

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Action No.



CCA25 Ensure Equality Impact Assessment Assessments are identified, undertaken and their implementation is monitored in business plans.

Relevant Assistant Executive Directors / guidance from Policy Unit

As programmed in business plans

Summary reports of completed EIAs and their findings are published on the Council’s website: EIAs are identified within the annual business planning process and by the Race Equality Scheme assessment of relevance. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Disability and Gender Equality Schemes; GES 20 and DES 28

Identified within the business planning process are completed throughout the year. In 2008/09 34 of 65 originally planned impact assessments have been completed with an additional 13 due for completion following the end of March 2009. Outstanding Equality Impact Assessments at this point will be completed as a priority in the first quarter of 2009/10. Support sessions that have taken place throughout the year will be intensified during this period to ensure the completion of Equality Impact Assessments planned wherever possible.Action plans resulting from Equality Impact Assessments are added to Business Plans in order to ensure that all issues raised during assessments are addressed during the coming year. In addition assessments which have been completed and those which are planned for the coming year are recorded within the Equalities Summary section of Business Plans for every service unit across the authority.

CCA26 Ensure Greater Manchester Police data relating to hate crime in Tameside is monitored and action taken where appropriate

Community Safety

Mar-08 and ongoing

Hate crime is monitored and appropriate action is taken via Tameside Race and Hate Multi Agency Panel. Information from Greater Manchester Police breaks down Hate Crime by type of Hate crime and this information is reported quarterly. The Council and

Meetings are currently underway to discuss strengthening of existing reporting and governance arrangements to link both Community Cohesion and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships. Discussions take place at Tameside Hate Incident Panel to enhance risk assessment processes and support for victims.

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Action No.



Panel Members take action as a result. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Gender Equality Scheme; GES 2

CCA27 Increase security for older people by developing neighbourhood networks which support the security of older people

Community Safety

Mar-09 Promotion and uptake of a range of security measures (free of charge for vulnerable older people in Tameside aged 65+). Extend the use of the ‘Good Neighbour Scheme’ in Ashton Regeneration area – this is linked with alley-gating activity. Continue to support the ‘First Call’ service through Age Concern. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following

Door step crime initiatives continue in order to increase security for older people. This project involves joint work the Council's Community Safety Unit and Tameside Trading Standards, Police, Homewatch and Age Concern. Involving talks to community groups, the provision of public information in the press and help delivered to 300 residents in distraction burglary hotspots. Additional security specifically designed to prevent people gaining access to homes is also supplied and fitted where residents are over the age of 65, there are people with disabilities or there are other groups of people recognised as being vulnerable to these offences. Along with the supply of additional security, training is given to residents about how to use the devises and tips on how to empower them not to let people they don't know into their homes.

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Action No.



actions in the Gender Equality Scheme; GES 4

CCA28 Continue to improve GCSE attainment for groups that tend to achieve less well (Average Points Score)

Services for Children and Young People

Annually Targets relating to improving attainment will continue to be measured and action taken to close achievement gaps. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Gender Equality Scheme; GES 8

Agreed priorities for 2008/09 for the Children and Young People's Partnership included the objective to, 'Continue to raise attainment at all phases of learning with strategic focus on under achieving groups and schools. - Over the last three years the educational attainment at the end of primary school and secondary school have been increasing at a faster rate than nationally. - The number of Looked After Children attaining 5+ GCSEs at grade A* - C including English and Maths increased over the year to 25% from 21.7% in 2006/07.- Over the last four years there has been a 45% increase in the proportion of pupils at SA+ or with a statement of Special educational Needs achieving 5 or more GCSEs A-C

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Action No.



CCA29 Carry out actions specified within the Children and Young People’s Plan to help reduce school exclusion’s and increase educational attainment


Monitored in the Children and Young Peoples Plan

Boys are significantly more likely to be excluded from school than girls. Work taking place to help reduce exclusions and improve the management of the exclusions process will help improve life chances and reduce social exclusion for all children but will have a particular impact on boys. Key Priorities within the Plan include: Key Stage 4 attainment Staying on rates Exclusions Teenage Pregnancy This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Gender Equality Scheme; GES 9

As a result of actions taken to reduce school exclusions the number of fixed-term exclusions fell from 2791 in 2006/7 to 2514 in 2007/8. The number of those which were longer than 5 days fell from 168 to 23 in the same period. The number of boys who were permanently excluded from school has fallen since 2005/6 (53) through 2006/7 (43) and continued this same decline in 2007/8 (41). - In terms of educational attainment at Key Stage 1attainment in mathematics has improved to 90% in 2008. - At Key Stage 2, English, mathematics and science achievements have been above the national average - At Key Stage 3 the number of children achieving higher than expected levels increased in English mathematics and science increased - At key stage 4 60% of pupils achieved 5 or more A*-C grades at GCSE

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Action No.



CCA30 Ensure that information regarding responsibilities under the Human Rights Act is communicated and where appropriate used to inform policy development

Policy and Service Unit Managers

Mar-09 and ongoing

This action is intended to help ensure that employees of Tameside Council are aware of responsibilities under the Human Right Act and that responsibilities under the act are taken into consideration in policy development where appropriate.

The Human Rights page on the intranet contains general information and short films, and signposts staff to useful sources of information if you want to find out more. Articles on Human Rights and this resource has also been published in the staff newsletter. In addition the authority accesses the Human Rights resource available from the National School of government. The course helps staff learn more about human rights and shows how it is relevant to the work of the authority.

CCA31 Ensure that people from different communities are able to access activities aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles


Ongoing Health inequalities have been identified as having a significant impact on equalities groups. It will be essential to ensure that the whole community within Tameside is able to access activities to promote healthy lifestyles. This activity will be the responsibility of all Service’s carrying out activities to promote healthy lifestyles including, Cultural and Customer Services, Services for Children and Young people and Adults Services.

A huge number of initiatives are underway as a part of the Sports and Physical Activity Alliance. Close working with Regeneration schemes has been undertaken to provide sport and activities in deprived areas to address the correlation between deprivation and low participation rates. Initiatives have included: - Leisure Flex concessions in partnership with the Sports Trust for those on low incomes. - Connect 4 Life was rolled out to 5 key disadvantaged areas in 2007 and is set to be rolled out in 2008/9 to the remaining GP practices in Tameside. This will greatly increase availability and access across the whole borough. - Health walks and multi sports sessions for older people take place - Back to Active sport scheme - Walking plan as part of the Active Transport initiative for children and adults For 2009-10 the Active People Survey can be broken down by participation by equality group due to an increased sample size from previous years.

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Action No.



CCA32 Facilitate the development of a Tameside Strategic Partnership Equality Strategy drawing on shared goals in the different partnership organisations.

Policy Unit Sept-08 It is intended that in its community leadership role Tameside Council will facilitate the development of a Tameside Strategic Partnership Equality Scheme drawing on common goals shared by the different partner organisations. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty

An action plan has been developed with timescales for delivery and specific responsibilities for the coming year still to be allocated. This will take place in the first quarter of 2009/10.

CCA33 Continue to record the equality data of complainants and monitor the breakdown of complainants and complaints on the grounds of equality


Ongoing It is intended that in its community leadership role Tameside Council will facilitate the development of a Tameside Strategic Partnership Equality Scheme drawing on common goals shared by the different partner organisations. This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality

All complainants are asked standard equalities monitoring questions which include Race Disability, Gender and Age. Reports giving breakdowns of complaints by equality group are sent to managers monthly and Executive Support Team quarterly. Where there differences are highlighted between equality groups steps are taken to address inequality within the relevant service area.

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Action No.



Duty Employment & Training CCA34 Complete an Equal

Pay Review and report on the implementation of the pay review recommendations by the end of Summer 2008

Human Resources

Summer 2009

An equal pay audit shows employees are being rewarded fairly: By carrying out an equal pay audit, after the implementation of a pay& grading review, and by reporting on the implementation of the findings

The Pay and Grading review is proceeding: Council staff have received individual letters detailing pay proposals subject to consultation.

CCA35 Ensure through fair employment practices that the Council’s workforce is representative of the local community and targets are met

Human Resources, Executive Directors and Assistant Chief Executives and Service Unit Managers

Reviewed annually with three-year targets in place

Workforce profiles exist and the workforce broadly reflects the local community: By setting realistic targets in relation to Ethnicity, Disability and Gender. Targets to be set in Business Plans and reported on quarterly. Where identified, pro-active work in each of these areas will take place. A report will be presented to the Management Team annually.

All Service Units produce an Equality Summary which looks at workforce representation of equality groups, identifies potential impacts where in equalities exist and outlines the specific actions to be taken to address issues. An annual report is produced which outlines specific steps the unit will take to reduce inequality. In addition an annual Human Resources report is produced which examines representation of equality groups at each stage of the employment journey from application through to retirement. Where differences between different equality groups emerge action is taken to address inequality.To help increase knowledge and skills a Managers Toolkit for Equality and Diversity has been produced which includes key equality information for Managers in relation to equality and diversity and a number of activities aimed at helping explain key equality and diversity related issues to employees.

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Action No.



CCA36 Continue to plan and provide training on race equality & diversity, the Equality Standard and community cohesion as part of the Corporate Training and Development programme

Organisational Development

Ongoing To ensure training courses have been delivered to relevant staff and managers across the Council: Through a range of courses including Disability Awareness, Equality and Diversity Awareness, Equality Impact Assessment and distance learning workbooks on disability and diversity

Equality training reviewed and Equality Toolkit added to the provision of training. As a result of ongoing work to ensure that all staff have received equalities training there has been a 36% increase in the proportion of staff who have received equalities training within the last two years: 2006/07: 55.48% 2007/08: 91.8% Mandatory training required for all managers emphasises Equality and Diversity with Equality Impact Assessment and Equality Awareness (covering all equality groups) included in the mandatory list.

CCA37 Review all relevant employment policies and procedures to ensure full coverage of equalities issues and groups.

Human Resources

Ongoing To ensure that guidance covers all relevant equality groups and practice reflects this: By systematically updating existing policies and subjecting all new or amended policies to Equality Impact Assessment

A programme of review of employment policies forms part of the HR Service's business planning activities, including identification of Equality Impact Assessments that are to be produced as part of the policy review. All Policies and Procedures are reviewed on a rolling basis. In 2008/09 reviews included: - Disciplinary Procedures - Employee Development Reviews - Violence and Aggression Management - Asbestos Management

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Action No.



CCA38 Continue to identify barriers to progression and take relevant action

Human Resources

Annually in March

This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race Equality Scheme; RES 3

An annual report on workforce equality is produced and is available on Tameside's public WebPages. This identifies key stages in the employment journey and breaks data down by equality groups including, Disability, Race, Gender and Age. Where differences are identified between different equality groups action is taken to identify the causes of differences and address any issues that emerge. The annual Workforce Report can be viewed online at the following location:http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity

CCA39 Research and develop proposals that will improve Council-wide performance against relevant HR corporate health targets

Human Resources

Ongoing This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race Equality Scheme; RES 6This is linked to progressing towards level 4 of the Equality Standard for Local Government

Effective people management and development is one of the keys to service transformation. Tameside's workforce planning process sits inside the overall Business Planning framework and is key to helping ensure that Tameside Council has a workforce that is reflective of the local community and responsive to its needs. Tameside's annual Workforce Equality Monitoring report highlights any inequalities that exist within the workforce. Where inequalities are highlighted action is taken to uncover the reasons for inequalities and the steps that need to be taken to address them.

CCA40 Provide training to all managers in dealing with complaints of racial and sexual harassment

Training and Organisational Development

Ongoing This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race Equality Scheme; RES 9

Dignity at Work training (formally Bullying and Harassment) is part of essential training for managers this training includes dealing with Harassment and Bullying on all grounds including Gender, and Race / Ethnicity. Numbers of staff attending training each year are monitored to ensure that there is an appropriate level of uptake for this course.

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Action No.



CCA41 Review and implement cultural competence training for Social Care & Health staff

Adults Services; Planning and Performance Development

Ongoing This action contributes to meeting the: Race Equality Duty Disability Equality Duty Gender Equality Duty This action replaces the following actions in the Race Equality Scheme; RES 10Cultural Competence training is being rolled out and includes elements that will address cross-cutting equality issues such as race, gender and religion and belief.

A series of Cultural Competency courses across TMBC and in Adults services specifically have been organised and marketed.

CCA42 Retain age positive award

Human Resources

Annually Ensure that the authority meets and, where possible, exceeds the requirements of age equality legislation by retaining the Age Positive employer status.

The Age Positive Award was successfully retained in 2008/09. In order to achieve the award the authority take the following steps: - Our job advertisements do not include specific age limits or any covert age related restrictions.- Our recruitment monitoring system analyses applicants and appointees by age, to ensure that our recruitment policy is non discriminatory. By monitoring in this way we are able to identify the age profile of our workforce and the applicants we attract. This has led to us needing to consider our approach to succession planning.- Our application form encourages applicants to include relevant non-work related experience in support of their application; to avoid discrimination against those applicants who may not have had extensive job related experience.- We have consulted our Citizens Forum of 2,000 Tameside

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Action No.



residents on employment related issues, including their desired means of being informed about council vacancies. The results have been analysed by age to inform our recruitment advertising policy. This piece of work informed and helped shape elements of our recruitment practice. Residents told us where they would typically look for job opportunities. As such, more information is now on our internet page and we are considering a regional text messaging campaign.- We are part of a recruitment consortium which has commissioned focus group research into the attitudes of people to local government careers. This specifically includes the views of young people.- Our flexible working policy allows employees to voluntarily reduce their hours or change working times.Further information about the award can be found on Tameside's Website at the following location:http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalopportunities/jobs

CCA43 Develop information sources including performance indicators in relation to sexual orientation and religion and belief

Policy Unit And Service Unit Managers

Mar-09 This activity will involve collecting information and developing existing information sources to help ensure positive outcomes are achieved for people within the community with regard to Sexual Orientation and Religion and Belief.

In order to develop sources of data which allow relevant and appropriate indicators to be set and monitored in relation to Sexual Orientation and Religion and Belief, key corporate surveys carried out by the authority now include equality monitoring questions covering both Sexual Orientation and Religion and Belief. This includes: - The Place Survey - The Employee Survey - Tameside Citizen's Panel

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Race Equality Action Plan

This action plan lists all the key activities that the Council has committed to undertake during 2008-2011 that are pertinent to the General and Specific Duties referred to in the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. In addition to those listed in this action plan, there are many other service-based activities that support or contribute to the promotion of race equality and they are identified and monitored each year in business plans. To find out what progress the Council has made against the action plan during the course of 2008/09, please refer to the ‘comment’ column, which summarises the current position in relation to each action as at March 2009. The Gender Equality Scheme will be fully reviewed in 2011.

Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11: Race Equality Action Plan

Action No.



Specific Duties: Employment and training RES1 Ensure systems

are in place to enable ethnic monitoring of employees

Human Resources

Ongoing Employee information is collected by ethnicity in line with the Race Relations (Amendment) Act. Services receive details of their workforce profile for business planning purposes on an annual basis. This data is used to inform workforce planning and recruitment and training processes.

Equalities data is collected through the application forms of successful candidates (provided voluntarily). All Council employees are asked to update their personal information every two years either by returning a self-completion form or updating their details online. This information was last collected in March 2008. The Council has accurate information on approximately 93% of its employees in relation to ethnicity. In addition a summary of workforce distribution and any associated issues or actions is contained within Service Unit Equalities Summaries which are completed as a part of the on-line business planning process. This helps to ensure that all service units recognise their responsibility for workforce diversity and take appropriate actions.

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Action No.



RES2 Continue to track progression of ethnic minority employees using existing ‘promotion’ field on the HR system.

Human Resources

Annual Workforce Monitoring Report is Produced which analyses monitoring data for equality groups across the employment journey including examining differences between different groups in terms of movement between employment grades. Where significant difference exist between different groups further research is used to determine the underlying causes of difference and action is taken to address issues where appropriate. The annual reports have been produced since 2002/03 and are available on Tameside's website at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity

RES3 Continue to identify barriers to progression and take relevant action

Details of this action are included in the Crosscutting Action Plan action number 20

RES4 Make employee ethnic monitoring data available to service unit managers for business planning purposes


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Action No.



RES5 Review all relevant employment procedures to ensure that they fully address race equality issues

Human Resources

By March 2006

This timescale corresponds with the Council’s timescales for achieving the Equality Standard for Local Government

A programme of review of employment policies forms part of the HR Service's business planning activities, including identification of Equality Impact Assessments that are to be produced as part of the policy review. In 2008/09 the following policies have been assessed to examine their Impact on all Equality Groups including Race Equality: - Disciplinary Procedures - Employee Development Reviews - Violence and Aggression Management - Asbestos Management

RES6 Research and develop proposals that will improve Council-wide performance against relevant HR corporate health targets


RES7 Continue to monitor and analyse staff participation in training by racial group


Ongoing Systems have been put in place to monitor participation in training on an ongoing basis. Data is reported annually in the Organisational Development Business plan.

Training data is cross-referenced with the Trent system to provide information o staff participation in training by equality group. All Training feedback forms also include standard equality monitoring questions which include questions regarding race / ethnicity.

RES8 Ensure that all service areas access race equality training


Annual monitoring beginning 2005/06

Monitored as part of the Equalities Training Strategy. This Strategy has been the subject of an Equality Impact Assessment.

A local Performance Indicator monitors staff participation in training, the most recent data for this indicator shows that 92% of staff have received equality training within the last 2 years an increase from 55% in 2006/07.

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Action No.



RES9 Provide training to all managers in dealing with complaints of racial and sexual harassment


RES10 Implement cultural competence training for Social Care & Health staff


RES11 Review and update relevant race equality information and make widely available to all employees

Policy Unit Ongoing This will mainly focus on the information published on the intranet, the public website and in staff publications. Policy updates are also provided as necessary at the Equality Champions meetings.

Articles on equality and diversity including race equality are made available through 'The Wire' the staff newsletter which is circulated to all employees on a monthly basis. In addition the Equality Champions group discusses and disseminates relevant information across the organisation at all levels as appropriate. Where results from Corporate surveys such as the Employee Survey reveal inequalities results are discussed with relevant managers and services.

Specific duty: Access to Information and Services RES12 Continue to analyse

and respond to possible or actual barriers to service delivery for ethnic minority customers

Customer Services and Service Unit Managers

Ongoing This action will be taken forward through developments in the online Customer Relationship Management system and through Equality Impact Assessments of relevant policies, strategies and functions.

Customer services equalities data is collected as part of the bi-monthly customer satisfaction surveys. Results are analysed in conjunction with the equalities categories. Regular customer service sessions are held at the Indian Community Centre as well as a targeted survey of ethnic minority customers. The way customer services undertake surveys is being reviewed using a toolkit and guidance from the Cabinet Office. Countryside have considered local survey information and national data and identified that BME groups are underrepresented. Outreach work has begun to publicise the countryside to BME communities including via

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Action No.



the annual Diwali event and via the Interfaith network. Every 2 years a countryside events survey is undertaken to gather equalities data; in 2007 2.8% of attendees were from BME groups 2007. Specific steps have taken place within the libraries service to increase the available of literature for BME people. In order to determine the requirements of customers we carry out an in-house adult library satisfaction survey each year. This year 1,240 adults will have completed the survey. The surveys comparing answers from BME respondents compared to answers from all respondents. Answers are analysed for satisfaction by group in all areas and particularly for stock and staff. An example of action that has been taken includes where a comment that was made was regarding the provision of books in Urdu at Stalybridge, books in Urdu has since been made available at this location. The service has also responded to a request for books in Polish Droylsden library. In addition following feedback from the Really Important Questions network steps have been taken to improve access to services for older BME residents. Consultation and engagement has focused on making services accessible and culturally sensitive. Specifically tailored information and a DVD about the Supporting People programme have been distributed and presented to community groups.

RES13 Continue to record the ethnicity of complainants and monitor the ethnic breakdown of complainants and


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Action No.



complaints on the grounds of racial equality

RES14 Continue to ensure that all Council publications reflect racial equality and cultural diversity positively


RES15 Develop and monitor access to ESOL provision across the Borough

Access and Equality

Ongoing Following the completion of Tameside’s original ESOL strategy at the end of 2007, a reviewed ESOL strategy will be developed by Sept-08 to take ESOL provision forward.

ESOL courses are available within Tameside. Courses are available from the following locations in the Borough: - Ashton Sixth Form College - St. Peter's Community Partnership - Tameside College - Tameside Libraries - TMBC Adult Learning - Ashton and Hyde In addition an ESOL courses for Polish speakers have been introduced which take place at Tameside Central Library in Ashton.

RES16 Lead on developing & implementing a borough-wide BME housing strategy and address related needs as they are identified

Housing Services /Supporting People Service

Action plan in place by June 2005

A survey of housing needs and demands survey is underway and will be completed in May 2008. Following completion this will form the basis of the Housing Strategy and Supporting People Strategy and will contribute to the local development framework.

The needs and demands study will be completed in May 2009 as part of the wider Strategic Housing Market Assessment. This information will provide the key data to produce the council’s new housing strategy which will be published in October 2009. The council has been working with UKBA to house former asylum seeking families that have been granted indefinite leave to remain in the country as part of their legacy case resolution programme.

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Action No.



RES17 Ensure that all new IT systems are capable of recording ethnic profile data


RES18 Make the Corporate Equality Plan including the Race Equality Scheme available in all Libraries


RES19 All relevant Equality Impact Assessments to investigate the adequacy and availability of public information


Specific Duty: Assessment, Consultation and Monitoring

RES20 All reports to the cabinet and endorsed by the Council will make appropriate reference to impact on race equality


RES21 Race equality is considered as part of Scrutiny review work

Scrutiny Unit Ongoing Scrutiny project plans include a section for highlighting equalities issues that relate to each review. Any issues uncovered inform actions within the review.

All Scrutiny Review project plans require consideration of equality and diversity issues which may be relevant to the review.

RES22 Monitor equality performance management


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Action No.



RES23 Complete identified Equality Impact Assessments


RES24 Develop equality targets


RES25 Ensure through Equality Impact Assessments that all relevant Service Units have adequate (customer) ethnic monitoring systems in place


Equality Impact Assessment process ongoing but systems to be in place by March 2007

Equality Impact Assessments contain questions regarding the adequacy of equalities monitoring systems. In additional corporate performance indicator is in place to ensure that all relevant services have equality monitoring systems are in place. Data for this indicator is collected annually in April each year.

The proportion of service units with customer monitoring systems in place is increasing year on year and is monitored via a Local Performance indicator which shows the percentage of service units with adequate and appropriate equality monitoring systems in place, in order to meet the criteria for this indicator each relevant service unit must have monitoring systems in place which use Census classifications for Race / Ethnicity. All Equality Impact Assessments carried out by the authority include examination of whether the service has adequate and appropriate monitoring systems in place.

RES26 Maximise attendance of ethnic minority communities at District Assemblies

Scrutiny & District Assemblies

By March 2006

Following the review of District Assembly’s attendees in 2006/07 actions will be put in place to help ensure that attendees at District Assembly meetings are representative of the local community.

An Equality Impact Assessment is currently underway examining equality and diversity in relation to District Assembly meetings. Consultation is planned with Tameside Third Sector Coalition and Black Elders group to find ways of increasing Black and Minority Ethnic participation. A Biannual survey of District Assembly attendees is scheduled for March 2009 which will provide data on the level of representation from Black and Minority Groups.

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Action No.



RES27 Continue to assess and monitor race equality and community cohesion issues as they relate to community regeneration work

Relevant community regeneration projects

Ongoing Ongoing community regeneration work identifies outcomes for different groups of people within communities affected. Extensive consultation is integral to the planning of any regeneration activity and community workers help ensure that the views of all sections of the community are represented and heard.

The work of Saint Peters Youth Partnership has continued to support community cohesion through a range of activities which bring together the young people from the white and Asian communities in Ashton. A new feature has been the development of residentials in a centre delivering outward bound activities. In addition the project has been awarded Big Lottery Funding for a three year project (2008 to 2011) to recruit young adults from the community as volunteers to then train to become youth workers and act as positive role models for young people in the ward.

RES28 Monitor and promote good consultation practice with ethnic minority communities, including making links with the voluntary and community sector


RES29 Work in collaboration with area based partnerships and T3SC to ensure that local forums, the Community Empowerment Network and Tameside Voice adequately represent ethnic minority

Economic Development Unit, Service Unit Managers

Ongoing The action supports the extension of the involvement of the minority ethnic community as a whole in the Black and Minority Ethnic and Community Empowerment Network and area based forums.

This action supports the extension of the involvement of the minority ethnic community as a whole in the BME and Community Empowerment Network and area based forums, particularly encouraging the involvement of young people, women and older people from within the BME community. Tameside Voice has representatives from Tameside’s BME women’s network, BME network and Interfaith forum. Two members of each of these groups are elected by Voice to attend relevant partnership meetings within Tameside Strategic Partnership. In addition, of the three Voice representatives on

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Action No.



communities the Tameside Strategic Partnership Board, one represents the BME and interfaith networks.

RES30 Share learning and disseminate good race equality practice across the Council

Equality Champions Group and Policy Unit

Ongoing Learning and good practice is shared across the council via the Equality Champions group.

Good practice and learning is shared across the Council via the Equality Champions group and through 'the Wire' staff newsletter. Good practice is also shared within relevant services as appropriate.

Specific Duty: Publish results of assessments, consultation and monitoring RES31 Publish all

completed Equality Impact Assessments


RES32 Produce an annual Human Resources Report


RES33 Produce an annual update of the Race Equality Scheme action plan

Policy Unit Annually in May

The Race Equality Scheme is updated annually. Updates are made available via Tameside Council’s Race Equality Scheme WebPages.

Updates of the Race Equality Scheme are carried out on an annual basis in line with statutory requirements. Tameside's 2008/09 update on progress towards actions in the Race Equality Scheme action plan has taken place as a part of the annual update of all action plans within Tameside's single Corporate Equality Scheme can be found at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk

RES34 Publish a 3 year review of the relevance of services and policies to the General Duty to promote race

Policy Unit By May 2008

Reviews have taken place in 2005 and 2008 with the next full review scheduled to take place again during 2011 for publication by the end of May 2011

A three year review of relevance judgements for services and policies was published as a part of the productions of Tameside Council's Corporate Equality Scheme in 2007/08. In addition relevance reviews (known as impact judgements) take annually place as a part of the authority's ongoing annual business planning process.

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Action No.



equality RES35 Review and

republish the Race Equality Scheme

Policy Unit By May 2008

Reviews have taken place in 2005 and 2008 with the next full review scheduled to take place again during 2011 for publication by the end of May 2011

Tameside's Race Equality Scheme was reviewed and republished in 2008 and received approval at full council on April 15th 2008. The Scheme has now been incorporated into Tameside Councils overall Corporate Equality Scheme which contains information and action plans for all core areas of diversity. The next full review of the Race Equality Scheme will take place in the first quarter of 2011. The current Corporate Equality Scheme is available in public libraries.

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Gender Equality Action Plan

This action plan lists all the key activities that the Council has committed to undertake during 2007-2010 that are pertinent to the General and Specific Duties referred to in the Equality Act 2006. In addition to those listed in this action plan, there are many other service-based activities that support or contribute to the promotion of gender equality and they are identified and monitored each year in business plans. To find out what progress the Council has made against the action plan during the course of 2008/09, please refer to the ‘comment’ column, which summarises the current position in relation to each action as at March 2009. The Gender Equality Scheme will be fully reviewed in 2010.

Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11: Gender Equality Action Plan

Action No.



Community Outcomes GES1 Ensure that gender

issues relating to violent crime are robustly addressed within the Violent Crime Steering Group

Community Safety

Annually from March 2008

The Violent Crime Steering group will take action to address violent crime. The following issues will be addressed as a part of this groups activity: Perceptions of safety Actual safety Differences for young men in terms of experience of assault and personal robbery Differences for women in terms of rape and sexual assault

In 2008/09 a full Equality Impact Assessment of the Violent Crime Strategy took place. This assessment involved an examination of all issues relating to equality and diversity within the Violent Crime Strategy and included Gender related issues as a priority. The assessment showed that women in particular are at risk from Sexual Violence and Domestic violence. Each of these areas has a specific theme within the Violent Crime Strategy Action Plan aimed at addressing these issues.

GES2 Ensure Greater Manchester Police data relating to hate crime in Tameside is monitored by gender and action taken


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Action No.



where appropriate

GES3 Take action to reduce the number of incidents involving a victim of domestic abuse that are reported to the Police within 2 to 6 months of the case being discussed at the Tameside Multi Agency Risk Conference (MARC)

Community Safety

Mar-10 and ongoing

Work will continue to take place within the Community Safety Unit to reduce repeat offences. This action also sits within Tameside's Local Area Agreement and progress will be monitored through the Local Area Agreement Steering Group, and the Safer and Stronger Communities Block group.

Tameside Strategic Partnership has commissioned a new Independent Domestic Violence Advisory Service for Tameside (IDVA) to deliver a “wrap around” support service for victims of domestic abuse. The Partnership will continue to support the Multi-agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARAC) to predict and hopefully prevent repeat cases of domestic abuse. Briefings have taken place to encourage more agencies to refer high risk cases to the MARAC. The impact of the MARAC on preventing repeat victimisation is a local measure in the Local Area Agreement.

GES4 Increase security for older people by developing neighbourhood networks which support the security of older people


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Action No.



GES5 Take actions to increase perceptions of safety for women

Community Safety Mar -10 and ongoing

In order to address lower perceptions of safety for women within the community action will be taken through the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership; this will include working towards the reduction of distraction burglary. Action will also take place to increase perception of safety for women visiting countryside sites

Action is being taken across the board to increase safety in the community including safety for Women. Data drawn from the Citizens panel survey shows that 49% of females think that there is a little or a lot less crime in Tameside compared to 47% of men. In contrast 75% of female respondents think that there is a lot or a little more crime nationally compared to 66% of males. Action taken to increase safety and perceptions of safety include: - The first Crucial Crew for older people was held at Dukinfield Town Hall. Over 100 people attended the events over the two days. This initiative was lead by Age Concern with the support and active participation of Crime and Disorder Reduction Partners and dealt with issues such as anti-social behaviour, alcohol and falls, fire safety and elder abuse. - Joint working to combat crime linked to alcohol and the night-time economy, including the involvement of the licensed trade, has helped reduce woundings by 27% and made our town centres safer places to visit. - 84 households fitted with target hardening packages in 2007 - 08 aimed at decreasing doorstep crime and helping make vulnerable residents feel safer

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Action No.



GES6 Encourage the use of 'Secure by Design' accreditation to help ensure that crime prevention is taken into account within building design.

Development Control

March 08 and ongoing

Recommendations are made within the Planning approval process for individuals seeking Planning approval to seek 'Secure by Design' accreditation. This action will contribute both to reducing fear of crime which is of particular relevance to women and to reducing experience of crime which tends to have a greater impact on younger men.

Tameside MBC Planning Unit continues to recommend that accreditation be sought for building projects. The Architectural Liaison Unit at GMP provides support for accreditation.

GES7 Take action to encourage girls and young women to participate in physical activity

Cultural and Customer Services and Services for Children and Young People

Mar-08 and ongoing

In order to address lower levels of physical activity amongst girls and young women a programme of activity will take place that encourages the participation of young women and girls in sport and physical activity. It will be important to ensure that young women and girls in Tameside have equality of opportunity in this regard.

Funding from Sport England Community Investment Fund now confirmed and officers in post. Planning is underway to extend the potential of the Sports Club Development fund to provide additionally for sports clubs to apply under the banner of Active Teens, including promotion of new grant scheme to encourage sports clubs to deliver positive interventions to get girls/women more involved and active. Other positive action includes our Girls Active programme A ‘girls active’ instructor was appointed (jointly funded by SSP and PCT) to deliver a programme of ‘teen exercise to music’ at each secondary school. The programme includes sessions on: bollywood dancing, hula hooping, salsa, dyna bands and Pilates. Lessons plans were also produced to support PE staff to deliver these sessions after the instructor moved on to another school. The local authority Sports Trust have also consulted with young people from Tameside schools to set up a ‘Teen fit’ gym and swim programme. Teenfit allows young people age 13-16 to access top of the range gym equipment at a reduced cost. The centres have also

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Action No.



invested in interactive dance mats and are hosting a number of community cheerleading clubs.

GES8 Continue to improve GCSE attainment amongst boys (Average Points Score)


GES9 Carry out actions specified within the Children and Young People’s Plan to help reduce school exclusion’s and increase educational attainment, particularly for boys


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Action No.



GES10

Take action to reduce teenage pregnancy against national targets

Teenage Pregnancy Unit

March 08 and ongoing

A range of actions are taken to reduce teenage pregnancy, targeted towards both genders. Reduction in teenage pregnancy will continue to be monitored through existing performance indicators. Teenage pregnancy is a standing item on the Children and Young People’s Partnership Board and is reviewed quarterly. Teenage pregnancy is also reviewed annually through Government Office Northwest and monitored quarterly

Tameside has reviewed the way it works and adopted a new and innovative approach to tackling teenage pregnancy. This includes: • More targeted use of local performance data • Appointment of a Strategic Lead for Teenage Pregnancy • Successful initiatives This approach has been praised by the National Support Team (NST) as an example of best practice in their recent visit in September 2008 and ensures that strong partnership working and clear performance monitoring are fully embedded within Tameside’s approach to tackling teenage pregnancy. Tameside has introduced a number of highly successful initiatives over the past year which will impact upon teenage pregnancy rates going forward. These include: Peer Educators This project involves young parents speaking with year 9 and 10 school children, as part of Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) lessons, about the challenges of being a young parent. This has proved popular with both school children and teachers alike who have found the sessions highly effective and engaging. The sessions also develop the skills and confidence of young parents and are part of a long-standing commitment in Tameside to support young parents back into education and employment.

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Action No.



Best practice schools Tameside is working in partnership with schools to address teenage pregnancy, pairing high conception schools in high and low conception areas with low conception schools in low and high conception areas to ensure that effective teenage pregnancy preventative work is rolled out to all areas in Tameside. Joint working with Aim Higher This forms part of a multi-faceted approach to tackling teenage pregnancy rates. Tameside Council works closely with Aim Higher, a national higher education initiative, to raise young people’s aspirations and ambitions by ensuring that young people have access to suitable education, training and employment. Working jointly with Aim Higher, Tameside is also supporting young parents onto college and university courses and into employment. Teens and Toddlers A 20-week programme working with identified young people from across the borough aimed at raising aspirations and building skills and confidence. Young people spend one afternoon a week on the programme, part of which is spent in a local nursery working and playing with a specified toddler.

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Action No.



Young people completed a questionnaire at the beginning and end of the programme to assess the attitude change on a variety of issues relating to the aims of the Teens and Toddlers programme. The results showed a positive improvement in attitudes across all areas and a significant increase in the following: • An increase in their perceived age that someone like them would need to be before they have a child: At the beginning of the programme (Time 1) 41% said over 20 years old, but at the end of the programme (Time 2) this increased to 66%. • A change in the view that they might end up getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant before they are really ready to have a child: 55% said they ‘strongly disagreed’ or ‘disagreed’ with this statement at Time 1, but this increased to 84% by the end of the programme.

GES11

Take action to increase the availability of activities and information on parenthood to fathers



Current information suggests that males are less likely to access services such as Sure Start or to access parenthood information. Actions will be taken to supplement existing activities to encourage take-up of information and services by males in the community.

A Performance Indicator has been established measuring the proportion of fathers with whom each children’s centre establishes contact. This is a new PI for children's centres and 08/09 data is baseline. In 2009/10, progress will be monitored continuously through the Children's Centres Male Inclusion Plan. The availability of activities and information on parenthood to fathers is assessed through Self-evaluation and the Children's Centre's annual review.

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Action No.



GES12

Take action to increase the take-up of library and museums services by males

Cultural and Customer Services

Current figures indicate a lower level of take-up of libraries and museums services from males. As a result actions will be developed to investigate the causes of this disparity and to take actions to address them.

The Department for Children Schools and Families Boys into Books initiative funding has meant that we have been able to invite 3 poets/illustrators to work with school classes in the libraries. Although the sessions are not just for boys they do have male appeal to encourage boys to see books as being relevant to them. The libraries service also supported Read to your Dad day and the theme for this Year's Summer Reading Challenge was Team Read - centred on sports. Several author events for the National Year of Reading have also been designed to appeal to men.

Access to Services and Information GES13

Ensure all areas have robust systems for collecting and monitoring information relating to gender equality

All Service Areas Mar-08 Ensure consistency of customer and employee monitoring systems wherever reasonable across the organisation. Ensure systems are in place to analyse and use this information and that this process takes place.

A Local Performance Indicator monitors the number of service areas with relevant monitoring systems in place for equality groups including Gender. Information from this indicator helps services identify and target areas where monitoring systems require development. Standard monitoring categories are used for all equality groups in order to ensure consistence across different service areas and enable comparison where appropriate.

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Action No.



GES14

Continue to analyse evidence for, and respond to, possible or actual barriers to service delivery for both genders

Service Unit Managers, Policy Unit, and Equality Champions Group

Annually from March 2007 and ongoing within Business Planning and Equality Impact Assessments

This will take place using information from the following areas: Equality Impact Assessments Business Planning Actions Service User Consultation and Monitoring Human Resources data

Services seek to identify physical, communication, cultural and attitudinal barriers to service delivery. Services continue to carry out regular consultation with service users to identify issues and improve access to and usability of services. All consultation is monitored by equality groups and data is broken down and used to analyse differences in take up and barriers to service delivery for equality groups including Gender. In addition, corporate level consultation, engagement and involvement activity is monitored by equality group in all cases. Where this information shows differences between equality groups issues are discussed with relevant services in order to ensure that barriers to service delivery are minimised.

GES15

Continue to record the gender of complainants and monitor complaints on the grounds of gender equality


Ensure that figures are monitored monthly and issues are investigated and action taken as appropriate.

All complainants are asked standard equalities questions including questions relating to the monitoring of Race, Disability and Gender. Latest performance (end of Feb) for returns are 69%. Reports showing the breakdown of complainants by equality group are send to managers monthly and Executive Support Team quarterly and action is taken wherever significant differences are identified. Overall data for complainants by Gender match the representation within the local population.

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Action No.



GES16

Ensure that all relevant new IT systems are capable of recording gender profile data

ICT and Transformational Services and all Service unit Managers

Mar-08 and ongoing

The Customer Relationship Management system monitors uses corporate equality monitoring questions which include gender monitoring.

The Customer Relationship Manager system currently being rolled out across the authority allows services to receive and respond to requests for services, feedback and complaints, the ability to monitor by all core equality groups is being integrated into this system. ICT Services highlights the need to include equality monitoring categories in relevant systems as they are developed in order to ensure that equality monitoring (including Gender) is built into systems where appropriate.

GES17

Make the Corporate Equality Plan (including the Gender Equality Scheme) available to the public


GES18

At each annual update of the Gender Equality Scheme take into consideration the need to add additional actions to the action plan based on consultation, monitoring and impact assessment data gathered over the past 12 months

Policy Unit Annually from March 2008

This action will be addressed as part of the annual progress update of the Gender Equality Scheme.

Additional actions for equality will be include in the new cross-cutting action plan as a part of Tameside's Single Corporate Equality Scheme in order to ensure that wherever possible planned actions that contribute to the achievement of Gender Equality also consider the implications for other equality groups. To date in 2008/09 no additional actions have been added to the Corporate Equality Scheme.

Assessment of Consultation and Monitoring data

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Action No.



GES19

Ensure all relevant consultation takes gender equality objectives into account and can be monitored by gender

Policy Unit and all Service Units

Mar-08 Ensure that the Consultation Strategy is made available to employees wishing to carry out consultation. Use corporate equality monitoring questions to ensure consistency of data collection

The inclusion of equality monitoring information is a mandatory requirement of all consultation that is carried out by the authority. Standard monitoring questions are used for all equality groups in order ensure that data is comparable wherever possible. Key corporate consultation also analyses information by gender to determine if there are differences apparent between genders, this information is then used to inform the setting of priorities across the authority. Key corporate surveys where gender monitoring information is analysed and use include: - The Youth Online Survey - The Place Survey - Tameside's Citizens Panel - Tameside's Residents Opinion Survey In all cases consultation reports highlight differences between gender in order to help services understand where services could be adapted to better meet the needs of different equality groups.

GES20

Identify a rolling programme of Equality Impact Assessments to include PROPOSED and existing policies, functions and services


GES21

Complete identified Equality Impact Assessments


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GES22

Monitor equality performance management and ensure that gender equality actions are taken where appropriate


GES23

Share learning and disseminate good gender equality practice across the Council

Equality Champions Group: Policy Unit Human Resources Organisational Development

Quarterly from April 2007

This action will primarily take place through the quarterly meetings of the Equality Champions group and via information distributed from the Policy Unit, Human Resources and Organisational Development services.

The Equality Champion Group is an effective means of communicating good equality practice across the Council. A regular agenda item is a feedback session from each area updating others on relevant activity and highlighting new learning. Good links are also made with the Consultation Link Officers’ Group and the Performance Champions who are also concerned with meeting good practice guidelines and providing quality services to the community.

Publish results of assessments consultation and monitoring GES24

Publish all completed Equality Impact Assessments

Service Unit Managers and Policy Unit


Completed assessments carried out by services can be viewed on the Council's website at http://www.tameside.gov.uk/tmbc5/impact.htm

Equality Impact Assessments are published on the Council’s Website at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/eia

GES25

Produce an annual Human Resources Equality Report


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Action No.



GES26

Produce and publish an annual update of the Gender Equality Scheme Action Plan

Policy Unit Annually from April 2008

Published via Tameside's public website and made available to all Service Unit Managers.

An annual update of Tameside's single Corporate Equality Scheme is produced at by the end of March each year. This includes updating actions in the Gender Equality Scheme action plan. Updates are published annually on Tameside's website at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity This historic updates to Tameside's Gender Equality Scheme can also be found via this link.

GES27

Review and republish the Gender Equality Scheme

Policy Unit Mar-10 Published via Tameside's public website and made available to all Service Unit Managers.

The Corporate Equality Scheme is reviewed on an annual basis including the Gender Equality Action Plan. Reviews are made available on Tameside's webpage at the end of March each year and can be accessed at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity

GES28

Identify barriers and potential barriers to employment and take appropriate steps to address them


GES29

Ensure that occupational segregation is robustly addressed in areas identified


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GES30

Take action to raise awareness of gender equality considerations for all staff

In particular this action will involve ensuring that gender equality is addressed thoroughly through Equality Business Plans and within training provided. The action will also be achieved via the work of the Council’s Equality Champions group.

In order to ensure that all staff have appropriate levels of training in relation to Gender equality a local performance indicator records the proportion of employees that have completed equality training within the past two years. The Equality Champions and Consultation and Engagement Groups facilitate the sharing of information resulting from engagement activity and highlights difference between different groups. All consultation activity analyses data by equality group and where differences exit between different groups this information is disseminated to relevant services and appropriate action is taken to address issues.

GES31

Make gender equality information available throughout the Business Planning Process

Human Resources

Jan-08 Gender equality monitoring data is made available within the business planning process to inform equality planning.

Information regarding the breakdown of staff by equality groups is made available annually as a part of the business planning process. Each service unit is required to analyse the breakdown of its staff in an annually produced 'Equalities Summary' which highlights workforce related issues and details actions to be taken to eliminate barriers to employment.

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Action No.



GES32

Monitor and take appropriate action to address harassment and discrimination on the grounds of gender

Human Resources

Ongoing Including ensuring bullying and harassment procedures fully address sexual harassment. The Council's Employee Survey includes questions to monitor perceptions of harassment and results are analysed by gender. Specific issues are followed up by appropriate means. Service Area reports are created for senior managers.

Tameside's employee survey shows that the proportion of employees that say that they have experienced gender discrimination is comparable. With 3% of women saying that that they have experienced discrimination on the grounds of gender compared to 4% of men. Human Resources data for 2007/08 shows that there are no statistically significant differences between the proportion of men and women who have either filed a grievance with the authority or has disciplinary action taken against them. An annual Workforce Equalities Monitoring report takes place which identifies differences between Gender, together with information taken from the Employee Survey which takes place every two years is used to identify differences between genders and to help inform appropriate action to address differences.

GES33

Establish clear visible leadership on gender within the Council

Policy Unit Ongoing The equality agenda at Tameside is led by Cllr. M Sidebottom (Cabinet Secretary for Co-ordination Services and Lifelong Learning), on behalf of the Cabinet Deputy for Co-ordination services. Responsibility for equalities also lies with Megan Nurse (Assistant Chief Executive, Performance and Change). Activities are co-ordinated across services by the Equality Champions group. Regular reports on equality and diversity (including Gender) are made to Cllr.

The equalities agenda at Tameside is led by Cllr Margaret Sidebottom (Cabinet Secretary to Cllr John Taylor the Cabinet Deputy (Co-ordination Services). Megan Nurse (Assistant Chief Executive) is the Senior Manager responsible for equalities. Systems are in place to meet local priorities and national requirements; regular reports and briefings on equalities are made to Cllr. Taylor, Cllr Sidebottom and the Executive Team and Executive Support Team receive six-monthly updates on equality and diversity progress. Monitoring and communication activities are co-ordinated across services by the Equality Champions Group, which is chaired by Cllr Sidebottom.

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Action No.



Sidebottom and the Executive Team. Regular reports on equality and diversity (including Gender) are made to Cllr. Sidebottom and the Executive Team.

GES34

Ensure that HR and OD processes take into account the needs and potential needs of transsexual staff.

Human Resources and Organisational Development

Mar-08 Ensure that relevant HR policies include information on the needs of transsexual staff members

A programme of review of employment policies forms part of the HR Service's business planning activities, including identification of Equality Impact Assessments that are to be produced as part of the policy review. Where appropriate the needs of Transsexual staff are considered within these reviews.

GES35

Ensure processes are in place to monitor and address gender equality within the procurement process

Procurement Mar-08 Ensure training for staff involved in procurement is available and includes equality and diversity elements that take account of gender equality. Continue to ensure procurement processes address gender equality.

A formal method of monitoring how far contracts meet the Council’s equality requirements has been developed. Quarterly equality monitoring forms are collected for all contracts, even where this produces a nil response. Equality monitoring information is a core requirement of contracts judged to be providing a service directly to the public e.g. the majority of contracts within Social Care and Health. In 2008 guidance on equality and the procurement process was fully reviewed in order to ensure that processes relating to equality and procurement take account of more recent legislation such as the 2006 Equality Bill.

GES36

Continue to monitor and take action to improve performance against national performance indicators relating to gender equality

Human Resources

Relevant Best Value Performance Indicators are monitored via quarterly performance reports to the Executive Team and Board, as well as via the Corporate Plan. A key indicator relates to the proportion of females

The proportion of women amongst the top 5% of earners within the authority is now 52.53% and is approximately reflective of the local population (51.5% female).

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Action No.



amongst the top 5% of earners amongst Council employees.

GES37

Raise awareness amongst staff members of paternity leave provision and flexible working

Policy Unit Mar-08 Information and briefing notes are available from Human Resources and provide information on paternity and maternity leave availability. Ensure that awareness continues to be raised (particularly amongst male staff members) of the Flexible Working Policy.

Service Unit Managers are encouraged to promote take-up of paternity leave provision and flexible working policy. Information is available on the Council’s intranet for staff on these opportunities. The Council is working towards an additional Investors In People Module on Work life Balance. To achieve the standard the Council will need to demonstrate the improved practice it has around flexible working arrangements. Reviewed flexible working guidelines were introduced in 2008, which have helped increase access to flexible working for employees. An Equality Impact Assessment of the revised guidelines has been carried out to help ensure that the needs of all equality groups are taken into account.

GES38

Review and update relevant gender equality information and make it widely available to all employees

Policy Unit Human Resources Organisational Development

Annually from June 2007

This action includes the provision of post recruitment statistics and workforce data relating to gender as well as to guidance and briefing notes on gender related areas to be produced by Organisational Development, Human Resources and Policy.

The employee information survey was carried out in spring 2008 and included an update of equality information (including gender) held for all employees. In addition all corporate level consultation and engagement activity includes monitoring by Gender and where appropriate this information is reported to Senior Managers highlighting areas of difference between Gender groups. All Service Units receive information regarding the breakdown of their workforce by gender in order to inform the annual business planning process and ongoing workforce development.

Equal Pay GES39

Ensure data is gathered on the extent and causes of the


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Action No.



gender pay gap in the authority.

GES40

Carry out actions to reduce pay gap resulting from the Equal Pay Review


Disability Equality Action Plan

This action plan lists all the key activities that the Council has committed to undertake during 2006-2009 that are pertinent to the General and Specific Duties referred to in the Disability Discrimination Act 2005. In addition to those listed in this action plan, there are many other service-based activities that support or contribute to the promotion of disability equality and they are identified and monitored each year in business plans. To find out what progress the Council has made against the action plan during the course of 2008/09, please refer to the ‘comment’ column, which summarises the current position in relation to each action as at December 2008. The Disability Equality Scheme will be fully reviewed in 2009.

Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11: Disability Equality Action Plan

Action No.



Specific Duties: Employment and training DES1 Ensure consistency

of systems in place to monitor disability status of employees

Human Resources and Exchequer

Ongoing Consistent wording ‘Do you consider yourself to be disabled?’ to be used on TMBC job application form, green Payroll form and Payroll & Personnel Information survey

A variety of HR systems are in place to ensure disability status of employees is collected. These include the recruitment process, Occupational Health referral process, and the bi-annual employment information survey. The categories used are consistent for national monitoring purposes.

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DES2 Take action to encourage declaration of disability by employees

Service Unit Managers Human Resources Policy Unit Marketing and Communications

Ongoing Regular communications about the Council’s work around disability equality will encourage people to declare their disability. A Disability Employment Group has been established to address the employment of disabled people by TMBC and local employers.

A programme of review of employment policies forms part of the HR Service's business planning activities, including identification of Equality Impact Assessments that are to be produced as part of the policy review. The council is aware that 4.76% of its workforce's have declared themselves disabled and employee information surveys update information on a regular basis. Further work will be required to help increase the confidence of people working for the Council to declare their disability status. The Council is currently a ‘two-tick’ authority, a national accreditation from the Job Centre Plus that recognises employees with positive employment practices towards disabled people.

DES3 Continue to track success rate of disabled job applicants

Human Resources

Ongoing This information is available in the HR Annual Equalities Report

The Annual Workforce Equalities report reports on recruitment trends in this areas and is available from the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity

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DES4 Continue to identify barriers to employment with TMBC faced by disabled potential job applicants and take relevant action

Human Resources Policy Unit Service Unit Managers Economic Development Unit

Ongoing Examples of action include: Establishment of Disability Employment Group to increase employment of disabled people within TMBC and Tameside Joint workshops and Jobs fairs with Jobcentre Plus, involving disabled TMBC employees, for disabled people who are ‘job ready’ Pilot work experience scheme for non ‘job ready’ disabled people to be introduced in 2007 within Adults Services Creation of Case Studies to promote advantages of employing disabled people Inclusion of targets to improve jobs and income for disabled people in Tameside within the Local Area Agreement to be agreed in 2007 Review of the Employment Plan for Tameside, including help for disabled people to find jobs. Bid for Local Enterprise Growth Initiative funds to help local people,

The annual Workforce Equalities Report identifies areas where there are significant difference in the employment journey for people who are disabled. In addition the authority's Employee Survey is analysed by equality groups and differences between the responses of disabled and non-disabled people are analysed. Information from both these sources is to identify barriers to employment and other issues for disabled people who work for Tameside. Action is taken where appropriate to address inequalities where they are identified. The authority has been successful in retaining the 'Two Ticks disability Award'. Specific work has taken place to ensure that the authority is able to attract, retain and develop a diverse range of staff. Examples of this activity include: - Presentations with local partners to promote jobs to people who are disabled - Work with local partners to support 'jobs fairs' with a focus on getting disabled people into work - Commitment to and funding of the 'working interview' scheme with mental health services to develop skills and experience to increase job readiness Equality and Diversity training is an essential requirement for all managers to help ensure that discrimination does not take place in recruitment and selection. Specific recruitment and selection training highlights the need to ensure that discrimination does not take place in the way candidates are selected.

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Action No.



including disabled people, start up new businesses in Tameside.

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Action No.



DES5 Continue to track data for disabled employees in relation to: Promotion, training and termination of contract.

Human Resources

Ongoing This information is available in the HR Annual Equalities Report.

The Annual Workforce Equalities Report had been produced and is available on the authority's website at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity Action is taken to analyse the reason for differences between equality groups where they are identified and appropriate action taken to address issues. A programme of review of employment policies forms part of the HR Service's business planning activities, including identification of Equality Impact Assessments that are to be produced as part of the policy review.

DES6 Continue to identify barriers faced by disabled employees and take relevant action in relation to: Promotion, training and termination of contract.

Human Resources

Ongoing This information will be made available in the HR Annual Equalities Report.

Data regarding promotion, training, and contract termination for disabled employees is analysed annually and is published in the Annual Employment Equalities Report which is available at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity Disabled employees are supported through existing support and performance tools. These include: Employee Development Reviews · Supervision Meetings· Competency Framework and Exit Interviews. These mechanisms provide opportunities to address issues that arise in relation to the experience of disabled employees

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Action No.



DES7 Make all employee disability data available to services for business planning purposes

Human Resources and Policy Unit


Ensure that disability monitoring data is available to inform equality planning within the business planning process for 2007/08

Information relating to the proportion of disabled employees within the workforce is made available to all Service unit Managers as a part of the annual business planning process to allow managers to address barriers to employment. In addition results of the Authority's Employee Survey are discussed with management teams from each service and issues relating to equality groups (including disability) are highlighted. As a result of this analysis each service produces an Employee Survey Improvement plan highlighting steps to be taken to address any issues identified.

DES8 Monitor and take any appropriate action to address harassment and remove attitudinal barriers experienced by disabled employees

Human Resources Policy Unit and Service Unit Managers

Ongoing The Council’s Employee Survey includes questions to monitor levels of employee harassment and results are analysed by disability status. Specific issues are followed up via focus group discussions or other appropriate means. Directorate level data and separate Service Area level reports are created for senior managers.

Tameside's 2008 employees survey are being distributed. These reports highlight significant areas of difference between disabled and non-disabled council employees. Where they occur differences are discussed with each Service Area and appropriate action is taken. Attitudinal barriers are addressed through equalities training. In addition to specific courses for staff addressing equality and diversity, the principles of equality and diversity are integrated into all other relevant training such as 2managing attendance, recruitment and selection and disciplinary training.

DES9 Review all relevant employment procedures to ensure that they fully address disability equality issues

Human Resources

Ongoing This timescale corresponds with the Council’s timescales for achieving the Equality Standard for Local Government.

A programme of review of employment policies forms part of the HR Service's business planning activities, including identification of Equality Impact Assessments that are to be produced as part of the policy review.

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Action No.



DES10 Continue procedures to improve Council-wide performance against relevant HR corporate health targets


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Action No.



DES11 Provide disabled people with an equitable standard of customer service by ensuring that employees in all service areas, particularly those in frontline positions, access disability equality and awareness training

Service Unit Managers, Training and Organisational Development, Policy Unit

Ongoing Frontline services should have plans in place to ensure disabled customers receive a high quality of customer service from Council employees. There is a mandatory performance indicator that all staff should have attended equality and diversity training within the last two years. Disability awareness training is offered to frontline and other staff that have regular contact with disabled service users. Performance is monitored as part of the Equalities Training Strategy. This Strategy has been the subject of an Equality Impact Assessment.

All employees are required to receive equality and diversity training relevant to their job role at least once every two years. Data is collected centrally by the Policy Unit to monitor the proportion of staff that have received training. - Disability awareness training is available throughout the year for all employees and disability awareness features in all equality training. - Recommended equality training relevant for different job types is highlighted for staff and includes disability awareness, diversity and value-based equality training. - New employees attending the 'Corporate Welcome' receive equalities training through an innovative board game, which includes questions and information on disability awareness. Customer service staff are trained to use the Minicom system and Type Talk. - Customer Service staff have received training from the Deaf Team. Within Social Care specialist training is designed to help with the provision of quality services, this ensures that staff are equipped with the necessary skills and qualifications to provide a high quality service to users. Examples of training topics include: · Moving and handling· Deaf awareness· Direct payments· Medication training· Communication with disabled people · Visual impairment. Bespoke training sessions can also be designed for particular services, user groups or issues (BPA People and Performance SCT 07 ‘To continue to review and develop for the whole sector required and specialist training and

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Action No.



workforce development). Through its Equalities Strategy Services for Children and Young People, will ensure that all staff have received appropriate equalities training and that all statutory requirements are met. The Service for Children with Disabilities access training from the corporate calendar and the Social Care and Heath Training Calendar: - Training for all staff is planned for 2008 to increase the safety and wellbeing of disabled children and young people in accordance with the Safeguarding Children agenda. - The libraries services have received training on the needs of customer with visual impairment from the Tameside Blind Association. Managers have received refreshers and reminders about the need to ensure access to services by all sections of the community including those with disabilities. - Neighbourhood and Community Services have worked closely with the Human Resources Training Team to provide training sessions designed to meet the needs of District Assembly colleagues for whom formal generic training is less suitable. Training is based on scenarios most likely to be experienced by District Assembly employees.

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Action No.



DES12 Review and update relevant disability equality information and make it widely available to all employees

Policy Unit Ongoing This will mainly focus on the information published on the intranet, the public website and in staff publications. Policy updates are also provided as necessary at the Equality Champions meetings. Examples include: Publication of Disability Guide Team briefing Articles in staff magazine Presentations to senior managers and Equality Champions Individual meetings with managers

All Equality Impact Assessments contain information on the accessibility of information provided by services for people from different equalities groups, including people who are disabled. The disability guide for managers has been produced as well as Tameside council’s consultation toolkit, which contains information about how to access and communicate with disabled people. Information is communicated on a regular basis through the equality champions group and reports to senior managers, which both have standing items on disability equality. Information from corporate consultation, such as the Employee Survey and the Residents Opinion Survey is communicated to relevant Service Units with disability equality information highlighted where significant difference in responses occur. Equality Champions and Consultation and Engagement Groups within the authority share and disseminate information relevant to Disability Equality. Equality reports to Executive and Executive Support Teams involving Senior Managers from across the authority make specific reference to relevant disability equality issues. Reports are delivered to Executive Team a minimum of twice a year and Executive Support Team on a quarterly basis.

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Action No.



DES13 Establish clear, visible leadership on disability within the Council

Policy Unit The equalities agenda at Tameside is led by Cllr M Sidebottom (Cabinet Secretary), on behalf of the, Cabinet Deputy for Co-ordination Services. Megan Nurse (Assistant Chief Executive) is the Senior Manager responsible for equalities. Activities are co-ordinated across services by the Equality Champions group. A Policy Manager is the designated corporate lead on disability. Regular reports on equalities, including disability, are made to Cllr Sidebottom and the senior management team.

A total of Six corporate equality reports that highlight disability equality have been delivered to Senior Managers in 2008/09 in addition to actions taken as a result of Equality Impact Assessments. The equality champions group has meets quarterly to raise and discuss equality issues. Cllr Margaret Sidebottom is Chair of the Equality Champions Group which facilitates disability equality across the authority. In addition Cllr Sidebottom delivered a speech at the 'Listen Here' Disability Conference. In both 2007/08 and 2008/09 'Listen Here' Tameside's Disability Network conference was chaired by Janet Calendar, Tameside Council's Chief Executive, senior officers from across the also attended and ran several workshops helping build understanding of the needs and aspirations of disabled people across the borough.

Specific Duty: Access to Information and Services

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Action No.



DES14 Continue to provide services for disabled people that: *Allow disabled people to exercise choice *Promote equality generally *Put disabled people at the centre of service delivery

Adult Services Ongoing Disabled people are able to exercise choice through the introduction of Direct Payments, Assistive Technologies and the forthcoming Individual Budgets. Tameside consults and involves disabled people fully in decisions relating to their care. An example of this is the feasibility study for an Independent Living Centre that has been requested by disabled people, and is due to be carried out by March 2007. Social care services are dedicated to promoting disability equality and improving the quality of life of disabled people. Our approach is to support disabled people to live independently, as reflected in the creation of supported living schemes such as Lomas Court and the forthcoming Staley House (for people with learning disabilities). We will continue work closely with Registered Social Landlords and housing associations to provide

Tameside Adults services has put in place and Equalities Strategy and Action Plan highlighting priorities for equality groups including the needs of disabled people. All teams within the Disability Unit have carried out Equality Impact Assessments and assessments of contracted services are taking place on a rolling basis For 2009/10 Personalised and Individual Budgets agenda are being developed that will give disabled people more choice in service delivery. Well developed involvement mechanisms such as Listen Here, the Big Chat and Really Important Questions Conferences along with quarterly consultation forums help the authority to listen to service user feedback and to plan person centred services.

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Action No.



housing that supports independent living by disabled people. Plans are being put in place to facilitate the further employment of disabled people within Social Care through a work experience scheme for people with learning disabilities (see above). Further work is planned to ensure that people in Tameside, including disabled people, receive the benefits that they are entitled to. Improvements are planned for our Money Advice service for people with mental health needs, and we will be extending our provision of benefits advice for parents of children with disabilities to include sessions at Cromwell School. A benefits bus will be touring Tameside that will have displays and information about different benefits.

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DES15 Continue to analyse evidence for, and respond to possible or actual barriers to service delivery for disabled customers

Service Unit Managers Equality Champions Group

Ongoing Work streams relevant to disability are identified through the Business Planning process. Services prioritise a rolling programme of Equality Impact Assessments, and those relevant to disability include both existing and new functions, policies and strategies. The progress of Equality Impact Assessments is monitored by the Equality Champions Group. Services consult and engage with their customers, including disabled people, to identify potential issues and ensure that decisions take customers’ views into account.

Equality Impact Assessments are the key means by which services ensure they meet equality and diversity standards. Assessments are conducted on a rolling basis to ensure that all new initiatives, policies and changes are considered for their relevance to equalities issues including disability. The progress of EIAs is monitored and advice on completion provided by the Policy Unit. Training on completing EIAs is provided and information is posted on the Council’s internal intranet. Services devise an action plan to address any issues raised by the EIAs. Residents’ Opinion Survey and Citizens’ Panel data is analysed to identify the needs and priorities of different sections of the community including disabled people and individual services analyse response to service-based consultation by equalities categories. This information is used to help ensure that differences in uptake of services and satisfaction between disabled people and non-disabled people are identified and action is taken where appropriate to ensure that barriers to service delivery for disabled people can be addressed effectively wherever they occur.

DES16 Continue to analyse evidence for, and respond to possible or actual barriers to job performance for disabled employees


Ongoing Examples include: Provision of guidance on the consideration and provision of ‘reasonable adjustments’ for disabled employees within the Disability Guide. Analysis of Employee Survey data by disability status, and implementation of appropriate action to

An Annual Workforce Monitoring Report is produced which identifies differences between different equality groups within the Employment Journey. Where differences are identified action is taken to identify the causes of differences and further steps are taken where appropriate. The Annual Monitoring report is available on Tameside's website at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity

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address issues DES17 Continue to involve

disabled people with a wide range of disabilities in processes to build new facilities or improve existing ones, as appropriate.


Ongoing Examples include: Engineering Service disabled User Group Sport & Culture disabled User Group Ashton Market Hall consultation group

Tameside Council is committed to involving disabled people in to building and improving facilities across the board. A key example of where this has taken place is Beaumont Place Extra Care Scheme. Beaumont Place is an Extra Care Housing scheme for adult who have learning difficulties. The scheme opened in February 2008 and is the only Extra Care Housing scheme that we are aware of that is designed and targeted at adults who have learning disabilities. Beaumont Place is designed to provide a ‘home for life’, it is fully DDA compliant and the design takes into account the support needs of individuals with complex health needs. Beaumont Place is the result of excellent partnership working with colleagues in New Charter Housing Trust. Residents were involved in the design and development of this scheme from the outset and following the move each resident has a care plan review to establish any changes in need. A process of “What’s worked, what’s not worked” will be used to measure and establish the success of the move and the outcomes for each tenant. This, along with a Support Plan review, will provide evidence-based information on the effectiveness of the scheme for each individual tenant.

DES18 Continue to involve disabled people with a wide range of disabilities in processes to configure new services or improve existing ones, as appropriate.

Service Unit Managers Adults Services for Children & Young People

Ongoing Examples include: Service User Groups Modernising Disability Services consultation Every Child Matters consultation

Tameside is committed to involving local people in decisions about local services. The Council has effective mechanisms in place to understand and respond to the needs of BME Groups, and effective networks are in place such as Listen Hear!, the Really Important Questions (RIQ) Network for older people, and the Big Chat for people with learning disabilities. The RIQ Network is a key structure for hearing the views of older people about health,

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social care and quality of life issues and engaging local citizens in all aspects of service design and provision.

DES19 Ensure that Council events are accessible to people with a wide range of disabilities (e.g. physical or sensory disabilities, learning difficulties, mental health needs)


Ongoing Examples include: Ask the Panel event (March 2006) Really Important Questions conference (October 2006)

For corporate events accessibility for disabled people is assessed as part of the risk assessment process. Local venues which are accessible are used. Disability groups including Chatterbox - an adult disability theatre company, have been targeted to be involved in events and joint training has been undertaken with this group to raise the events team awareness of disability issues in the planning of events. Countryside events are across a large variety of terrains with most sites not being suitable for wheelchair access. There are however a number of "easy going trails" and events held at visitor’s centres that clearly labelled as accessible to disabled visitors. Every 2 years an events survey is undertaken to gather equalities data; in 2007 Disabled people accounted for 3.7% of visitors.

DES20 Continue to record the disabled status of complainants and monitor complainants and complaints on the grounds of disability equality

Community & IT Services

Ongoing Figures are monitored monthly, and issues investigated as appropriate.

All complainants are asked standard equalities monitoring questions which include a question concerning Disability. Reports giving breakdowns of complaints by equality group are sent to managers monthly and Executive Support Team quarterly. Where there differences are highlighted between equality groups steps are taken to address inequality within the relevant service area.

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DES21 Continue to ensure that all Council publications reflect disability equality and cultural diversity positively


DES22 Ensure that all Council publications meet best practice guidance in relation to disability, and can be made available in alternative formats.

Service Unit Managers Marketing & Communications Design & Print Unit Policy Unit

Ongoing Guidance on printed publications is available via the Disability Guide and via Marketing & Communications.

In order to help ensure that the authority has considered how best to make publications accessible the authority includes a section in every Equality Impact Assessment on the availability and accessibility of published information. Printed publications are made accessible as appropriate. For example the Tameside Citizen, the authority's newspaper, is made available in audio format. Guidance on making information accessible is available from the Communications team. An Equality Impact Assessment has taken place of the Marketing and Communications strategy highlighting the need for appropriate and accessible communications for all equality groups, including disabled people. Summary and easy read versions of Tameside's single Corporate Equality Scheme (including the Disability Equality Action Plan) have been made available and can be viewed at the following location: http://www.tameside.gov.uk/equalitydiversity

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DES23 All relevant Equality Impact Assessments will investigate the appropriateness and availability of information for disabled people

Service Unit Managers Marketing & Communications Design & Print Unit Policy Unit

Ongoing Guidance notes on printed publications for hard to reach groups are available from the Marketing and Communications Unit. Further guidance specific to disability is included in the Disability Guide.

Tameside Council's Equality Impact Assessment process requires the assessment of available public information relating to the policy, strategy, or function being assessed. In addition the Policy Unit supports managers in completing Equality Impact Assessments by producing Disability Guidance, training courses, refresher training sessions and one-to-one meetings. These encourage managers to consider potential service users needs in relation to information produced.

DES24 Ensure that all new IT systems are capable of recording disability profile data


DES25 Make the Corporate Equality Plan, including the Disability Equality Scheme, available in all Libraries

Policy Unit Dec-06 The Disability Equality Scheme is available on the Council’s website and in hard copy in all Tameside libraries.

Copies of the Corporate Equality Scheme incorporating the Disability Equality Action Plan are available in all Tameside's libraries.

DES26 Make the Corporate Equality Plan, including the Disability Equality Scheme, available in a range of formats


Specific Duty: Assessment, Consultation and Monitoring

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DES27 The Council will lead the development and implementation of a borough-wide Disability Network to facilitate the engagement and involvement of disabled people in the decisions that affect them

Policy Unit, Adults Service User Involvement Team

Summer 2007

‘Listen Here’ Tameside Disability Network has now been launched and will facilitate two-way dialogue between service user and service providers

The second Disability Network conference took place on Saturday 20th September 2008. The meeting borough together a wide range of groups organisations and disabled people form across the community for the purpose of identifying the needs of disabled people and their vision for the borough. The conference is an annual event, which compliments the ongoing activity of the Disability network, and is aimed at improving the communication between groups that facilitate the engagement and involvement of disabled people in decisions that affect them.

DES28 Identify a rolling programme of Equality Impact Assessments to include existing policies, functions and services


DES29 Complete identified Equality Impact Assessments


DES30 Involve disabled people in monitoring the Disability Equality Scheme.

Policy Unit Ongoing The involvement of disabled people in annual monitoring of the DES will be carried out via the Disability Network.

The 2008 'Listen Here' Disability Network Conference involving local disabled people included consultation specifically focused on Tameside's Disability Equality Scheme. The conference as a whole is aimed at identifying the vision of local disabled people for the borough and at identifying the barriers that can prevent them from participating in the local community and accessing services. The conference also included discussion of progress made on the issues raised by disabled people at the previous year’s event.

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DES31 Disability equality is considered as part of Scrutiny review work

Scrutiny Unit Ongoing Examples include: Review of District Assemblies

All Scrutiny Review project plans require consideration of equality and diversity issues, which may be relevant to the review. In 2008 the Follow up review on the provision of Dental Services in Tameside included an update on steps taken to increase access to dental services for Disabled people.

DES32 Monitor equality performance management


DES33 Ensure through Equality Impact Assessments that all relevant Service Units have adequate (customer) monitoring systems in place, including for disability


DES34 Encourage the participation of disabled people in public life

Service Unit Managers Tameside Third Sector Coalition

Ongoing Ensure appropriate representation of disabled people on Council or Tameside Strategic Partnership bodies representing service users or the community. Examples include: Councillors Tameside Voice Tameside Citizens’ Panel Attendance at Council meetings / District Assembly meetings Council consultation and

Participation and opportunities for effective engagement were a significant focus at the ‘Listen Here’ Conference. The Council’s Disability Equality Action Plan reflects the need to remove barriers to effective engagement and to enable disabled people to influence local priorities and how these are met.

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engagement activities e.g. surveys and service user / focus groups Capacity building support to be provided by Tameside Third Sector Coalition

DES35 Monitor and promote good consultation practice with disabled people, including making links with the voluntary and community sector

Policy Unit, Consultation Link Officer Group, Service Unit Managers

Ongoing Services are encouraged to consult and engage disabled people in the decisions that affect them, so that decisions relating to disability may be based on evidence. Best practice is disseminated via the Consultation Link Officers Group. Guidance for the engagement and consultation of disabled people is published within the TMBC Consultation Strategy & Toolkit, and is included within the internal training programme being delivered in 2006/07.

The Policy Unit produces the Council’s Consultation Strategy and Consultation Toolkit, which provide information and advice on consulting, why and how to consult disabled people, in order to: identify disadvantage, address specific needs, avoid discrimination and meet the requirements of the Equality Standard. Disabled people should be included in consultation in ways, which are most accessible to them. These documents are available on the Council’s website. Tameside’s Adults Services User Involvement Team facilitate access to the Disability Network and also provide advice on consulting this section of the local community. The Network will improve communication between service providers and stakeholders including voluntary and community sector organisations. The Policy Unit also manages the Tameside Citizen’s Panel, an effective way to consult a representative sample of disabled people in the borough. The Panel can also be used to invite target groups for specific consultation exercises. Quarterly Consultation Link Officers

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Action No.



During 2007/08 a Disability Network will be formed across Tameside to facilitate engagement with disabled residents. Examples include: Analysis of survey data by disability status (e.g. Residents’ Opinion Survey, Citizens’ Panel, Employee Survey) Involvement of disabled people in specific projects by services e.g. Social Care User Groups, Access to leisure facilities, Highways and access, Stamford Park Lottery bid (planned involvement)

Group meetings provide an opportunity for officers to share good practice and take it back to their service areas. The group includes officers with specialist knowledge about working with and consulting disabled groups.

DES36 Share learning and disseminate good disability equality practice across the Council

Equality Champions Group and Policy Unit

Examples include: Disability reports to Equality Champions Group, senior managers, service units Articles in the Wire on disability

The Equality Champions groups is used as an effective means of communication - a standing item on the agenda is a feedback session from each area highlighting good practice.. Links are also made with the Consultation and Engagement Link Officers Group and the Performance Champions group in order to ensure that monitoring and target setting both take Disability Equality into account.

Specific Duty: Publish results of assessments, consultation and monitoring DES37 Publish all

completed Equality Impact Assessments


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DES38 Produce an annual Human Resources Equalities Report


DES39 Produce and publish an annual update of the Disability Equality Scheme action plan

Policy Unit Annually from December 2007

Involvement of disabled people in reviewing and monitoring the action plan will take place via the Disability Network.

The second annual update of the Disability Equality Scheme Action Plan too place in early 2009. The results of the 2008 Listen Here Disability Network Conference have been used to inform the development of further Disability Equality Objectives.

DES40 Review and republish the Disability Equality Scheme

Policy Unit Mar-09 Involvement of disabled people in reviewing the Disability Equality Scheme will take place via the Disability Network.

A full review of the Disability Equality Scheme is due to take place prior to the end of December 2009 in line with statutory timescales.

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Annual Update of Tameside’s Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11 · 2015-08-07 · Annual Update of Tameside’s Corporate Equality Scheme 2008-11 This document is the Annual Update

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