The Consultation, Equalities and Engagement Manager presented a report which updated the Committee on the work completed within the Strategic Equality Plan (SEP) 2016 - 2020 for the period 2019 - 2020.

The SEP aimed to:

• monitor and review progress against its strategic equality objectives;
• review its objectives and processes in light of any new legislation and other new developments;
• engage with relevant stakeholders around equality objectives, providing transparency;
• include relevant updates on equality impact assessments, procurement arrangements and training.

The Consultation, Equalities and Engagement Manager explained that the annual report (Appendix 1) covered the period 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020. The annual report must be published on the council website/made available by 1 April 2021. She outlined the key points of the report as listed at section 4.3 of the report. She added that within the Appendix detailed further information such as;

• consultation and engagement
• workforce information
• information on gender and pay grade
• job applications
• staff training
• details of employees who had left the Council

The Cabinet Member Social Services and Early Help thanked the team who worked on the report and was looking forward to further progress reports. She mentioned that based on the demographic of the current workforce, the Council benefited greatly from the experienced staff members who had been in the Council for a number of years but these members of staff were older and may retire. She asked what succession planning was in place to cover this.

The Group Manager – Human Resources and Organisational Development agreed that succession planning was important and employees were given opportunities to develop their own skills as well as train new staff and pass down that expertise. She added that professional development programmes were also available to enable existing staff to gain recognised qualifications and open opportunities for them to further themselves. She added that apprenticeship schemes were also in place and increasing by the year to allow for on the job training and recognised qualifications in a variety of areas. There were also plans for graduate programmes and social work secondment schemes.

A Member asked what methods of informal learning could be made available to all staff to give them opportunity to develop in additional ways.

The Group Manager – Human Resources and Organisational Development agreed that all types of learning was necessary and beneficial. She explained that one to one’s with managers as well as appraisals were a good opportunity for staff to talk about their learning needs and personal development. She added that a member of her team was at the meeting today to observe how a committee runs and how the work she had provided was used in a committee format, so this was a good way that staff can also gain experience. She added that a training needs analysis was being undertaken which informed corporate training provision and this was being discussed with managers. She added that training for managers was available both formally as well as informally by being able to dip in to a variety of programmes that they found beneficial or interesting.

RESOLVED: That the Committee noted the progress being made and approved the Strategic Equality Plan Annual Report 2019-2020.