Issue - meetings

(1)       Mr Mills and Mr Wyncoll introduced the report and they and Mr Leidecker answered questions from Members.  They explained that the Equality Strategy was being reported to all POCs so Members would have the opportunity to comment on its content and contribute to its future direction.  Mr Mills explained that the aim of the strategy was to bring all threads of the Council’s Equality Policy – including the race, gender and disability equality scheme - into one document, and that Kent was a pioneer in the UK as one of the first three authorities to do this.

(2)       In discussion, Members made the following comments:

(a)       Members welcomed the excellent document, praised its clarity and said that it stood out from others in the field.   They welcomed the move to bring all three Equality Policies together.

(b)       Members expressed disappointment that they had not had the chance to comment earlier (before it was seen by the Cabinet) on the content of the strategy.  Mr Mills commented that this would have been desirable but had simply not proved possible given the tight preparation deadlines of the three strategies.  However the strategy is essentially a work in progress and so will be kept under review during the year.

(c)        Members were pleased that the new Public Health Strategy for the county would address mental health issues for Kent staff.  The profile of mental health issues would also be raised by the new Mental Health Trust and the appointment of its Chief Executive and Commissioning Officer.

(d)       Members noted that KASS had a good system of “supervision” for staff needing support through times of work/home stress.

(e)       Supported employment of young people with learning difficulties should be boosted by using the recommendations of the recent Transitional Arrangements Select Committee.

(f)         The application of the document would prove its worth!

(g)       Members commented that the document should include more to address the needs of “white working class deprived”, for example, their need to compete with migrant workers for the lowest paid employment. The pattern of migration was constantly changing so this issue would need ongoing review to monitor the impact of migration upon this part of the indigenous population.

(3)       RESOLVED that Members’ comments, set out in paragraph (2) above, be taken into account in the future development of the Equalities Strategy Document.