Woking Borough Council Strategy Action Plan The Corporate Equality Action Plan Date Approved: 22 May 2013 Date Generated: 08/07/2015 - Approved A037 Adele Devon, ICT Manager Accountable Service Heads: Ext 3279, E Mail: [email protected] Chris Norrington, HG Wells Manager Ext 3923, E Mail: [email protected] David Ripley, Revenues and Benefits Manager Ext 3630, E Mail: [email protected] Douglas Spinks, Deputy Chief Executive Ext 3440, E Mail: [email protected] Geoff McManus, Neighbourhood Services Manager Ext 3707, E Mail: [email protected] Jeni Jackson, Head of Planning Services Ext 3020, E Mail: [email protected] Mark Rolt, Strategic Director Ext 3002, E Mail: [email protected] Ray Morgan, Chief Executive Ext 3333, E Mail: [email protected] Sue Barham, Strategic Director Ext 3810, E Mail: [email protected] Cllr Beryl Hunwicks Portfolio Holders Date Generated: 08/07/2015 - Approved Page 2 of 36 E Mail: [email protected] Cllr Colin Kemp E Mail: [email protected] Cllr David Bittleston E Mail: [email protected] Cllr Gary Elson E Mail: [email protected] Cllr Graham Cundy E Mail: [email protected] Cllr John Kingsbury E Mail: [email protected] Cllr Melanie Whitehand E Mail: [email protected] Ray Morgan E Mail: [email protected] Date Generated: 08/07/2015 - Approved Page 3 of 36 Strategy Action Plan - The Corporate Equality Action Plan A037.A Knowing your communities and equality mapping. Timescale: 31 May 2016 Service Plan(s): Climate Change/Strategy, Community Safety , Corporate Planning and Policy , Cultural and Community Development, Customer Care , Environment and Sustainability , Homelink and Private Sector Housing (inc. Housing Advances), Housing Benefit and Council Tax Local Support, Housing Needs, Strategy and Enabling , Not Identified, Planning Policy , Promoting the Local Economy , Revenue (Council Tax and Business Rates) Collection Service Head(s): David Ripley, Geoff McManus, Jeni Jackson, Mark Rolt, Ray Morgan, Sue Barham Portfolio Holder(s): Cllr Beryl Hunwicks, Cllr Colin Kemp, Cllr David Bittleston, Cllr Gary Elson, Cllr Graham Cundy, Cllr John Kingsbury, Ray Morgan Associations: A037.A.4 Include Hate crime in annual Strategic Assessment Camilla 31/12/12 Edmiston Measures Hate crime included in annual Strategic Assessment. Improvement in monitoring & analysing hate crime. Resources Existing Progress Further Actions Consider how best/where to consider/analyse hate crime A037.A.6 To maintain a Citizens Panel that is representativeof the community Riette Thomas 31/05/16 Measures representative panel Resources existing Progress Members of the CP without e-mail addresses were contacted by post to provide them with the opportunity to confirm/update their personal details and to provide an e-mail address. Those originally with an e-mail address will be contacted shortly with a link to an e-form for the opportunity to do the same. Membership of the panel will then be analysed and eventually plans put in place to target under-represented groups where possible. This work is essentially on-going. In 2013 the panel was analysed and was found to be unrepresentative when compared to 2011 Census data. However, a recruitment drive and marketing campaign were launched in January 2014 and there has been a steady take-up of membership since that time to date. Further work is required to make the panel more representative presents a significant challenge to officers. Further Actions Reference Sub-Action Responsible Due Date Progress Further Actions Done Person Date Generated: 08/07/2015 - Approved Page 4 of 36 Strategy Action Plan - The Corporate Equality Action Plan A037.A.6.1 Encorage new members to the Citizen's Riette Thomas 31/05/16 Initial work required to Enable the Panel, with specific focus on the confirm current make Citizens’ Panel to following groups: under-representative up of panel before become an wards, younger age groups, ethnic particular groups are important part of minorities & under rerepresetative targeted. consultation religious groups, Lesbian, Gay, Efforts have been made within the Bisexual & Transgender residents, non to increase the community. home-owners. membership of the Increase internal Panel, but so far we awareness of the have yet to implement panel. specific camapaigns to Increase the focus on recruiting number of particular groups. people who feel they can influence local decision making within their community. A037.A.15 Equalities monitoring / customer profiling - Produce annual Housing Service Mick Collyer 31/12/13 Equality and Diversity report and use to review current customer profile data (NVH) collection. Identify gaps across equality groups and develop plans to address. Measures Annual Housing Service Equality and Diversity report Resources existing Progress In light of changes to housing services, need to review with housing managers how best to take this forward. What info needs to be collected & collated and how best to present. Further Actions ongoing - report produced every June Date Generated: 08/07/2015 - Approved Page 5 of 36 Strategy Action Plan - The Corporate Equality Action Plan A037.A.16 Training - Produce Service Learning and Development Plan taking account Neil Coles 31/05/15 feedback from consultation, personal development and needs data analysis. In particular to include training on mental health and other equality strands Measures Learning and Development Plan. Training implemented. Resources Existing. Trainers Progress action plan produced around Welfare Reform training udertaken by all staff April - June 13 (incl.awareness of impact and financial capability) No further progress due to staffing issues Further Actions A037.A.19 Safer Woking Strategic Assessment - The Annual Safer Woking Strategic Camilla 31/05/16 Assessment looks at a range of data and analyses it to help identify prioriites for Edmiston the local Community Safety Partnership, the Safer Woking Partnership and is used to develop the Partnership Plan. Measures Annual Safer Woking Strategic Assessment Resources existing Progress The Strategic Assessment for 2013-14 was signed-off by the Community and Public Safety Board (CPSB) in December 2012. This was the second single SA written in partnership with the Community Safety Partnerships and led by Surrey County Council. The Partnership Plan was published in April 2013. Now carried out at County level. Fed into Safer Woking Partnership Plan 2015/18. Areas include child sexual expolitation, prevent, domestic abuse Further Actions ongoing Date Generated: 08/07/2015 - Approved Page 6 of 36 Strategy Action Plan - The Corporate Equality Action Plan A037.A.25 Identify local issues and ensure entitlement correct - Various Data matching Jan Mairlot 31/05/16 exercises to ensure correct entitlement. Visits to hostels such as the York Road Project to improve working practices and procedures to help particularly vulnerable claimants Measures Improve working practices and procedures to help particularly vulnerable claimants Resources existing Progress Monthly data matches continue to be done Visits to hostels such as the York Road Project to improve working practices and procedures to help particularly vulnerable claimants. New staff at YRP have made it difficult to keep track of tenants so a dedicated assessor is used to ensure continuity of claims Weekly schedules received and communication with key workers at hostels to ensure occupants claims are dealt with promptly and information of incoming and outgoing residents up to date. Further Actions ongoing A037.A.26 Identify members of community entitled to reductions in Council Tax or Business Jan Mairlot 31/05/16 rates - Identify charge payers entitled to discounts and reductions in Ctax/Business Rates, eg. Disabled band reductions, severly mentally impaired and unclaimed council tax benefit. NFI data matching. Enquiry forms, inspections Measures Increased take up by those entitled to reductions. Resources existing Progress Liaison between the Council Tax section and Benefits to ensure correct reductions are made, for instance the TUO ( Tell Us Once )system advises about deaths in the area. Explanatory notes issues will all opening and annual bills to all charge payers to provide awareness of discounts and exemptions. Plus webpages kept up to date with details of available reductions Further Actions ongoing Date Generated: 08/07/2015 - Approved Page 7 of 36 Strategy Action Plan - The Corporate Equality Action Plan A037.B Place shaping, leadership, partnership and organisational commitment Timescale: 31 May 2016 Service Plan(s): Asset Management, Corporate Management and Members' Services , Corporate Planning and Policy , Cultural and Community Development, General Overview and Scrutiny, Housing Needs, Strategy and Enabling , Marketing Communications, Planning Policy , Promoting the Local Economy Service Head(s): Douglas Spinks, Jeni Jackson, Mark Rolt, Ray Morgan, Sue Barham Portfolio Holder(s): Cllr Colin Kemp, Cllr David Bittleston, Cllr Gary Elson, Cllr Graham Cundy, Cllr John Kingsbury Associations: A037.B.5 Promotion of Council’s key priorities Andy Denner 31/05/16 Measures Promotion through Council’s key publications (Woking Magazine and Streetwise), website and offices Resources existing Progress The Council promotes its key priorities - housing, economic development, the environment and health and well-being - through its key publications: