Agenda item

3         Strategic Equality Plan monitoring report 2021-22

             Councillor Catrin MS Davies, Cabinet Member and Cathryn Morgan were

             welcomed to present the Strategic Equality Plan monitoring report 2021-22.

             The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on Local Authorities to consider the needs

             of all individuals when carrying out our day-to-day work. The Act includes

             specific Public Sector Equality Duties for Wales which require the Council to set

             Equality Objectives within a Strategic Equality Plan, which must be reviewed

             every four years.

             The promotion and use of the Welsh Language is set out in the Welsh

             Language Measure 2011, rather than the Equality Act. However, we consider

             Welsh language requirements alongside the protected characteristics of the

             Equality Act to encourage a holistic approach.

             An action plan ensures the delivery of the Council’s Strategic Equality Plan

             2020-24, grouped under five Equality Objectives.

             It was reported that this is the second annual report on progress of the 2020-24

             Plan and that a BRAG system shows how well an action is performing or being

             delivered, compared to the previous year. 

             Points highlighted as follows:

                • A revised pregnancy risk assessment has been introduced. This now better

             Reflects the current Public Health Wales guidance on pregnant people in the

             workplace.

                • The regional Community Cohesion team continue to work with partners to

             Encourage people to raise awareness of, and report hate crime. Events and

             awareness raising campaigns to tackle hate crime included Hate Crime

             Awareness Week, a ‘Blue Light’ event for refugees, Online Hate Pilot Sessions

             and Small Steps Right Wing Training.

                • Lloyd Warburton, a Penglais School pupil, was elected as the new Member of

             Wales Youth Parliament for Ceredigion and was also an active member of the

             Ceredigion Youth Council.

                • The Accessible Housing Register and Accessible Housing Policy have been in

             Place since June 2016. As a result, the number of people using the accessible

             Housing register and subsequently receiving offers continues to increase.

                • Performance of Ceredigion pupils with Special Education Needs/Additional

             Educational Needs is good. There is an increase in the number of pupils who 

             are diagnosed with severe autism in the early years, and in the pupils with 

             complex needs.

                • The Covid-19 pandemic has had a big impact on the progress of learners with

             English as an Additional Language (EAL), although we have exceeded targets:  

             9.5% of pupils moved up a level (target = 5%). 3.4% made 2 or more levels of

             progress (target = 1%). 77.7% of EAL pupils are on codes C-E. Of these, 56.9%

             are competent (D) or Fluent (E).

             Following discussion, Members agreed to receive the Council’s Strategic

             Equality Monitoring Report 2021-22 and recommend that Cabinet endorse

             the report on the 6^th December 2022.

4         Gender Pay Report 2022 and Workforce Equality Report 2022

   The Leader of the Council along with Geraint Edwards, Corporate Lead Officer, 

   were welcomed to present the Gender Pay Report 2022 and the Workforce

   Equality Report 2022.

            Ceredigion County Council, along with all listed public authorities in Wales, is

            required to carry out gender pay reporting and publish employment information

            on an annual basis.

            The Public Sector Equality Duty 2011, which forms part of the Equality Act 2010,

            Requires that the Council publishes a range of data relating to our workforce

            under each of the protected characteristics detailed in the Equality Act.

            During discussion, the following was noted:

·        In response to a question regarding encouraging more women to apply senior

 officer roles, the Officer advised Members that the Work/Life Balance Policy is

 due for renewal early 2023 and will be presented to the Corporate Resources

 Overview and Scrutiny Committee at that time.

            Following discussion, Members agreed to receive the Gender Pay Report 2022

            and receive the Workforce Equality Report 2022.