MPA Race Equality Scheme 2005–2008

Report: 08
Date: 2 February 2006
By: Chief Executive and Clerk

Summary

This report presents to Members an update of the MPA Race Equality Scheme (RES) 2005–2008.

A. Recommendations

That

1. members endorse the progress made on the MPA 2005–2008 RES; and
2. request a progress report on the MPA RES at the EODB December 2006, together with an update on progress on the MPA’s Generic Equality Scheme.

B. Supporting information

1. The MPA produced its second Race Equality Scheme in May 2005. This, together with the MPS’ Race Equality Scheme, was considered by EODB members in July 2005 and ratified by Full Authority in September 2005.

2. The purpose of the Race Equality Scheme (RES) is to ensure that the Authority’s policies and functions meet the general duty of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act (RR[A]A) 2000. The general duty is to:

• Eliminate unlawful racial discrimination;
• Promote equality of opportunity; and
• Promote good relations between persons of different racial groups.

3. This review looks to assess the extent to which each function and policy is relevant to fulfilling the general duty. The relevance in turn speaks to the extent and frequency of monitoring/review of each function and policy. The MPA has taken the opportunity to update the allocation of lead responsibility for each function and to update the description, lead officer and progress for each policy.

Race Equality Scheme Action Plan 2005 - 2008

4. The RES Action Plan identified 22 separate activities over the next three years, five of which were to be completed within the first year of the Scheme. An update of progress against the five activities is included in Appendix 1.

Areas of Success

5. Since EODB members agreed the MPA RES in July 2006, there have been three policies that have been the subject of review: Security, HR Service Level Agreement and Procedures and Standards When Dealing With the Public. All three policies have been deemed as having high impact on communities, whether internal or external.

6. Some of the key learning emerging from reviewing and updating these policies includes:

• The need for increased communication around sensitive issues;
• The role of managers supporting staff when dealing with challenging behaviours from some members of the public; and
• Ensuring that new policies are, where appropriate, cross-referenced to existing policies

7. An encouraging evidential sign that equality is being mainstreamed into the corporate business is the use of equality impact assessments (EIAs) in other areas of activities. The use of EIAs in assisting members to make highly sensitive and major decisions in relation to, for example, the disposal of Old Street Magistrates’ Court and pensions forfeiture demonstrates the progress made by the Authority. The Joint Equality Statement with the MPS, agreed by members at Full Authority in December 2005, is another example of the MPA becoming an increasingly confident and maturing organisation.

8. Other areas of success have been improved working relationships and promulgation of good practice with the MPS. Officers from Race & Diversity Unit (R&DU) have worked closely with officers in the Diversity & Citizen-Focus Directorate (DCFD) on reviewing the MPS’ RES and the revised Race & Diversity Strategy. In addition, excellent good practice has been developed with MPS Procurement.

Areas for improvements

9. Whilst the MPA is increasingly more confident in ensuring its systems, policies and procedures are mainstreaming equality and diversity, there is room for improvement in relation to the experiences of staff.

10. An indicator, which could contribute to the organisation developing greater confidence in its work, in this area, would be to demonstrate no significant disparity between the experiences of people based on their identity e.g. ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief, or age. This outcome-focus is in line with the organisation’s corporate response to the recommendations made by the Morris Inquiry, CRE Formal Investigation, Ghaffur Thematic Review of Race and Diversity in the MPS and the Taylor Review.

11. It is vital that any such improvements sit within an equality-proofed context of performance management. The MPA Service Improvement Programme (SIP) presents opportunities for further positive changes (see paragraph 12).

Synergy with other corporate initiatives

12. The MPA Service Improvement Programme will be one of the major areas of business activity during 2006. It will be vital that this work, together with the work on the Equality Standard for Local Government (ESLG), consistently provides evidence of the MPA meeting its general and specific duties under the RR[A]A .

Generic equality scheme

13. The MPA is currently developing its Generic Equality Scheme. A working group has been established, externally facilitated, which will aim to deliver the final Scheme by December 2006. One of the requests made by members at previous Away Day events is to be involved in policy development; the R&DU has extended this invitation to members in this regard and some members have indicated their willingness to take up this opportunity.

13. The question of faith monitoring has again resurfaced as part of the discussions at this meeting. In the Single Equality Bill, there is provision for monitoring employment, service delivery and community engagement across the six equality & diversity strands. Given the forthcoming legislation and the impact the MPA’s Generic Equality Scheme will have in assessing the provision and access to goods and services, members are invited to consider the debate about faith monitoring and whether it could be introduced in an appropriate, sensitive and timely fashion.

C. Race and equality impact

14. The RES is the mechanism whereby the MPA informs both its workforce and Londoners of the way in which it will implement the duties placed upon it by the Race Relations (Amendment) Act [RR(A)A] 2000. It is also the vehicle by which the workforce and Londoners can hold the MPA to account in implementing those duties.

15. Successfully operating the RES will produce positive benefits for all London’s diverse communities and for the workforce of the MPA. A contented workforce that mirrors, at all levels, the diverse nature of London’s communities and a community that is proud of, and confident in, its police authority will improve the general view of policing and confidence in it.

D. Financial implications

16. The Race and Diversity Unit holds a budget for the progression of race and other equality issues. £8000 has been set aside for developing the Generic Equality Scheme, with a further £2000 to support the on-going review of the MPA’s Race Equality Scheme.

E. Background papers

• Single Equality Bill
• Corporate Equality Objectives EODB 6 October 05

F. Contact details

Report author: Laurence Gouldbourne

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

Action 1: Reach agreement on a set of equality principles and objectives for the MPA

• Lead responsibility: EODB/Full Authority/Head of Race & Diversity Unit
• Status: Achieved. Members agreed the key equality principles at Full Authority in December 2005. Corporate Equality objectives for the Authority were set in 2005 and progress against these objectives these were reported on to EODB members in October 2005.
• Deadline: Not applicable
• Note: There may be a need to review whether specific annual equality objectives should be set for the Authority.

Action 2: Consider members’ accountability to equal opportunities in the Code of Conduct

• Lead responsibility: Standards Committee/Chief Executive & Clerk
• Status: Achieved. The amendment to the members’ Code of Conduct to reflect duties under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.
• Deadline: Not applicable.

Action 3: Develop the link between equality objective setting and performance appraisals

• Lead responsibility: Human Resources/Race & Diversity Unit
• Status: Work in progress. The link between equality objective setting and performance appraisals has to fit into a wider context of equality objectives sets within a performance management regime. The MPA Service Improvement Programme (SIP) will assist in setting a framework in which this occurs.
• Deadline: July 2006

Action 4: Establish baseline and monitoring systems for key success factors

• Lead responsibility: Planning & Performance/ Race & Diversity Unit
• Status: Achieved. The MPA have established and hold to account the MPS on a number of key success factors, including overall satisfaction of police service for white users and BME users, as well as sanction detection rates for all hate crimes.
• Deadline: Not applicable

Action 5: Consider access and signing requirements and arrangements in MPA premises

• Lead responsibility: Administration/HR/Race & Diversity Unit
• Status: Achieved. Reviewed in JMU Access Partnership & RNIB in September 2003.
• Deadline: Not applicable.

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