MPA generic equality scheme

Report: 10
Date: 25 September 2008
By: the Chief Executive

Summary

The Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) is committed to creating a Generic Equality Scheme (GNES) that not only encompasses the legislative equality duties we face with regard to disability, gender and race but also challenges us as an organisation to champion and drive equality and diversity issues internally and within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).

In producing a generic scheme, the MPA is actively working to incorporate other diversity strands that we do not, as yet, have a legislative duty to include. By doing this we place equal emphasis on establishing parity in terms of age, religion and/or belief and sexual orientation, creating a more holistic approach to equality and diversity.

A. Recommendations

That members note the MPA Generic Equality Scheme

B. Supporting information

1. Public authorities, such as the MPA are expected to uphold and promote equality and human rights in everything they do. Accordingly the MPA has legal duties relating to race, gender and disability. The obligations within each area focus on:

• promoting good relations;
• promoting positive attitudes;
• eliminating harassment; and
• eliminating unlawful discrimination

2. These obligations are set out in the race equality duty, the gender equality duty and the disability equality duty. The three equality duties are similar in spirit as they all place the onus on public authorities to actively tackle discrimination and promote equality. However each duty does have slightly different requirements, which need to be met in order to satisfy the legal obligations. For example the disability duty requires public bodies such as the MPA to ensure that we actively involve and consult with Deaf and disabled people in the development of our policies, practices and in developing our Disability Equality Scheme.

3. In January 2006 the MPA formed a generic equality scheme working group. This working group began the process of drawing up the content and discussing the consultation mediums for an MPA Generic Equality Scheme (GNES).

4. The working group consisted of individuals from across all units within the MPA as well as external stakeholders. This was to ensure that all staff had a role in and took responsibility for the development of the GNES. The Race Equality scheme had already been established, so the focus of the working group became the drafting of the MPA Disability and Gender schemes. A decision was taken by the working group to focus on these areas first due to the legislative deadlines that these schemes had to be developed by. These schemes have since been published and are available on the MPA website along with subsequent update reports.

5. Now in the summer of 2008 the MPA has completed additional action plans for age, religion &/or belief and sexual orientation. These new action plans have been combined with updated action plans from the existing schemes on disability, gender and race to form the MPAs first Generic Equality Scheme. Copies of the Scheme are enclosed with the papers for this meeting for members of the Board. It is also available on the MPA website and copies will be available at the meeting.

6. The Generic Equality Scheme addresses how we will safeguard and promote employment rights as well as address service delivery issues. It is a narrative of what the MPA is currently doing and will do in the future to meet legislative duties. The GNES contains numerous action plans that outline how the MPA will meet specific time frames, for each of the six diversity strands (age, disability, gender, religion &/or belief and sexual orientation).

7. This first iteration of the MPA GNES is a very large document, as it must effectively function as a bridge between the existing independent schemes and the new methodology of a combined holistic scheme. As the MPA progresses the actions within its GNES the scheme will be refined and streamlined to create a more manageable, accessible document that will be closely aligned with the MPA business plan.

8. MPA team leaders, who make up the Business Management Team (BMT) and our Senior Management Team (SMT), will internally monitor the GNES, supported by the Equality & Diversity Officers. An independent group of stakeholders will be established to provide external monitoring of the GNES.

9. The GNES will be reviewed annually and formally updated every three years.

C. Race and equality impact

1. As the MPAs comprehensive equality scheme, the GNES will have an impact on all six diversity strands. This GNES is designed to apply a series of standards that are consistent but flexible enough to recognise the differences, similarities, and conflicts that exist within the equalities and diversity arena.

2. Through the implementation of its GNES the MPA will hope to exceed accepted best practice in terms of employment, community engagement and service delivery and will apply its learning in our scrutiny, oversight and review of the MPS.

3. It will help to ensure that the MPA is considered an employer of choice by the ever increasing numbers of London’s diverse communities.

4. The GNES is also a major step towards the MPA achieving level 3 of the Equality Standard for Local Government.

D. Financial implications

1. The GNES scheme contains various actions around the training of staff and members on equality and diversity issues. HR and EDU are currently deciding the specifics of this training and therefore the costs are yet to be determined.

2. Other costs will be attached to the external stakeholder consultative process to ensure the MPA has effective representation of the diverse groups across all diversity strands. They will assist the MPA to ensure the issues specific to the respective equality strands are incorporated into our internal strategy and our scrutiny of the MPS.

E. Background papers

• MPA Generic Equality Scheme 2008-2011

F. Contact details

Report author(s): Michael Wadham, MPA Equality & Diversity Unit, MPA

For more information contact:

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

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