Overview
The council is committed to ensuring that all employees, councillors and everyone who lives in, works in, or visits our district feel welcomed, respected, and supported.
We are committed to:
- raising awareness and championing equality and diversity
- equal access to services and employment opportunities
- tackling discrimination, harassment and intimidation
- promoting good relations throughout the district.
The Equality Act 2010 outlines nine protected characteristics. These are:
- age
- disability
- gender reassignment
- marriage and civil partnership
- pregnancy and maternity
- race
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
We have a leading role to play in promoting equal opportunity and valuing diversity in the community both as an employer and as a provider of services to the people within the district and its visitors.
Our approach to equality, equality, diversity and inclusion (EEDI) is one of common sense, bringing people into the heart of everything the council does. Our approach puts people, both our customers and our staff at the heart of what we do and forms the platform for our transparent and fair decision making throughout our service provision.
Read our full Equality and Diversity Strategy 2025 - 2029.
Our duties
The Equality Act 2010 places specific duties on public authorities to:
- eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
- advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not share it.
The duties the Act places on us as a local authority encourage us to continually examine our practices and policies, ensuring all our residents and service users are treated equally.