Equality and Diversity

Equality objectives for Hampshire County Council

Background

The Equality Act 2010 introduced a new Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).

The general duty requires public bodies to pay due regard, in the exercise of their functions, to the following three aims:

  • eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act
  • advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
  • foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not

The PSED is supported by a set of specific duties which are intended to help public bodies to carry out the above aims in a way that is tangible, transparent and accountable.

A key specific duty is to:

  • prepare and publish one or more measurable and specific equality objective(s), no later than April 2012, and then subsequently at intervals no greater than four years.

Hampshire’s equality objectives

Hampshire’s objectives will focus on three priority areas:

  • the first priority is about scrutinising and improving access to services, treating all people fairly, providing equality of opportunity and gaining the business benefit of opening up our services to the widest possible community
  • the second priority is around our workforce, ensuring that its profile reflects best practice in recruitment and that through open and honest dialogue with our staff we develop a culture of inclusion and openness
  • the third priority centres on the PSED requirement to base service development on sound knowledge and evidence about the needs of the community We feel this is best achieved through further work to embed Equality Impact Assessment in our planning and decision-making process

The equality objectives support the priorities of the Hampshire County Council Open for Business Plan 2011-13 Download Acrobat Reader to view this PDF 312kb

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Monitoring performance and outcomes

We are committed to delivering better and equiltable outcomes for the people of Hampshire, and our staff. We see Equality as part of the core for this, and we will monitor how we deliver the above objectives through our performance management processes, report them to our members, and publish them on this website on an annual basis.

Contact

If you, or someone you know, would like either of the above documents in an alternative format (e.g. large print, audio, or Braille) please contact us on 0845 6035630 or email corporate.communications@hants.gov.uk

If you have a more general comment or questions please contact mohammed.mossadaq@hants.gov.uk