Issue - meetings

INFORMATION NOTE OF THE SENIOR HUMAN RESOURCES AND CONTRACTS MANAGER

To provide the Committee with a further update regarding equalities at the Council in respect of Equalities Data, Gender Pay Gap and Home Locations & Distances to DCO.

IT WAS AGREED: That the information note entitled Equalities Update be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Committee to consider the Equalities Update.

Audio Recording – 30 Minutes 40 Seconds

The Senior Human Resources & Contracts Manager presented the information note entitled Equalities Update, as follows:

·                In 2019, there was an increase in female staff;

·                There was a small number of employees declaring a disability;

·                Human Resources would like to define what constitutes as a disability in order to encourage staff to declare their disability;

·                The new payroll system would enable staff to make a disability declaration;

·                There had been a 2% increase in staff from other ethnic origin;

·                45 – 54 years old made up the largest group of employees;

·                There was an increase in those aged 55 years old who had left the Council;

·                The biggest reason for those choosing to terminate employment with the Council was resignation;

·                Tools for ensuring the use of gender-neutral language in recruitment advertisements, job descriptions, person specifications and interview questions were now being implemented;

·                Gapsquare software to identify where there were pay disparities was being used; and

·                Eliminating unconscious bias training was being rolled out.

The Senior Human Resources & Contracts Manager advised that the percentages within the table at paragraph 3.2.2 - Distances from Home Locations to DCO - on page 45 of the report were incorrect. She provided Members with the accurate figures.

The following Members asked questions:

·                Councillor Martin Stears-Handscomb; and

·                Councillor Kay Tart.

The Senior Human Resources & Contracts Manager responded to questions raised accordingly.

IT WAS AGREED: That the information note entitled Equalities Update be noted.

REASON FOR DECISION: To enable the Committee to consider the Equalities Update.