Issue - meetings

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to note the progress from 2021 – 2023 on the Corporate Equality Outcomes, Employer Equality Outcomes, Education Equality Outcomes and Licensing Board Outcomes as detailed in the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report 2021- 2025;

(ii)            to note that the Staff Governance Committee, Education and Children’s Services Committee and Licensing Board would also consider the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report for 2021-2023;

(iii)          to approve the ‘Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report for 2021-2023’ subject to any additional feedback from Staff Governance Committee, Education and Children’s Services Committee and Licensing Board;

(iv)          to instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to publish the report on the Council’s website by 30 April 2023; and

(v)           to instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment in consultation with the Chief Officer – Data and Insights and Chief Officer – Customer Experience to review how the Council records the characteristics of our customers in relation to the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Scottish Specific Duties, identify any improvements that could be made in this process in line with our business needs, and report back to the relevant committee at a future date.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment that provided an update on progress achieved at the end of Year 2 of Aberdeen City Council’s Equality Outcomes for the year 2021- 2023.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee:

(a)           note the progress from 2021 – 2023 on the Corporate Equality Outcomes, Employer Equality Outcomes, Education Equality Outcomes and Licensing Board Outcomes as detailed in the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report 2021- 2025;

(b)           note that the Staff Governance Committee, Education and Children’s Services Committee and Licensing Board would also consider the Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report for 2021-2023;

(c)           approve the ‘Equality Outcomes and Mainstreaming Progress Report for 2021-2023’ subject to any additional feedback from Staff Governance Committee, Education and Children’s Services Committee and Licensing Board;

(d)           instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment to publish the report on the Council’s website by 30 April 2023; and

(e)           instruct the Chief Officer – Early Intervention and Community Empowerment in consultation with the Chief Officer – Data and Insights and Chief Officer – Customer Experience to review how the Council records the characteristics of our customers in relation to the Public Sector Equality Duty and the Scottish Specific Duties, identify any improvements that could be made in this process in line with our business needs, and report back to the relevant committee at a future date.

The Committee resolved:-

to approve the recommendations.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Director – Customer Services, to arrange for the Financial Inclusion Team to host a Question and Answer Session for Members; and

(ii)            to otherwise note the information provided.

The Committee had before it a report from Chief Officer - Early Intervention and Community Empowerment that provided further information on the clawback of benefit payments by the Council and the Department for Work and Pensions, as instructed at the Anti-Poverty and Inequality Committee on 23 November 2022.

Angela Kazmierczak – Financial Inclusion Team Leader, Early Intervention and Community Empowerment, spoke to the report and responded to questions from members.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee note the information provided in the report regarding the clawback of benefit payments by the Council and the Department for Work and Pensions.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)             to instruct the Director – Customer Services, to arrange for the Financial Inclusion Team to host a Question and Answer Session for Members; and

(ii)            to otherwise note the information provided.

-       COUNCILLOR CHRISTIAN ALLARD, Convener