Equality mainstreamed in Highland - Council, Education and Licensing

14th March 2019

A report that aims to demonstrate the continuing commitments of Highland Council, it's Education Authority and Highland Licensing Board, to advance and mainstream equality into day-to-day work was approved today by Councillors on the Care, Learning and Housing Committee.

Local Authorities, Education Authorities and Licensing Boards are required by legislation to publish a report every 2 years on how they mainstream equality into their work. The report, "Mainstreaming Equality and Equality Outcomes Progress 2017 - 2019" was welcomed and approved by Members.

Members were informed that the Council is meeting its reporting requirements on:

mainstreaming equality into day-today work and how it promotes equality;

publishing annual details on employee information and how it has used that information;

publishing information on the Council's gender pay gap; and

progress towards achieving equality outcomes

Among the conclusions of the Highland report is that: The Highland Council's Programme recognises the region’s increasingly diverse population and welcomes people of all faiths, nationalities and backgrounds who wish to live, study, work or visit the area. The Council has a strategic goal to protect the vulnerable in its communities, promote fairness and welcome diversity and aims to work with partners and communities to reduce inequality and tackle poverty and discrimination.

The Council has committed to work with local partners to achieve its equality aims. Revised Community Planning arrangements have resulted in the development of the Highland Outcome Improvement Plan which has a focus on tackling inequality and includes equality of opportunity as a cross-cutting theme.

Over the past few years, the Council has already introduced consideration of poverty impacts along with the assessment for equality and rural impacts. This places the Council in a strong position to take forward the requirement of the Fairer Scotland Duty (Act).

Councillor John Finlayson, Chair of the Council’s Care, Learning and Housing Committee said: "The report shows that we are continuing to make improvements that are mainstreaming equality into the work of the Council, Education and Licensing Board and the impacts of these improvements are having a positive effect on our service users, staff and communities. We must continue to promote our work on equality by raising awareness among staff and members."