Agenda item

The Service Director Business Improvement, Human Resources and Communications submitted a report giving an overview of the functions of the Business Improvement, Human Resources and Communications Business Unit. 

The report also provided an update regarding progress made against the assurance programme in the areas of Performance Management and Equality and Inclusion. 

Shokat Lal, Executive Director – Core Services, provided the Committee with an overview of the Performance Management arrangements in place across the organisation.  In summary, the Committee noted that the Council’s Performance report was produced on a quarterly basis to provide an overview of the Council’s latest performance, from information available for each quarter and to illustrate progress achieved in delivering the priorities and outcomes of the Corporate Plan 2021-24. 

Assurances were provided to the Committee that the Plan was scrutinised at directorate management meetings and by the Council’s Senior Management Team prior to it being shared with Cabinet and then publicly released. 

In addition, Directorate Performance Frameworks were also developed and monitored to track progress against the Council Plan priorities at a service level and shared with the respective Cabinet Member. 

Phil Quinn, Head of Service HR and OD, then provided the Committee with a progress update regarding Equality and Inclusion to demonstrate the Council’s compliance with the public sector Equality Duty (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). 

The key highlights of the report were noted as:

·            During 2021/22, the Equality and Inclusion Team had supported 241 full Equality Impact Assessments (EIA’s) and EIA screening across all directorates. 

·            In 2021, new Equality Objectives were set, and some examples were detailed within the report to demonstrate how the Council were meeting the objectives.  The Equality Objectives were based on five of the outcomes within the Council Plan 2021-24. 

·            A wellbeing calendar had recently been developed to enable the Authority to celebrate key equality, diversity, and inclusion events throughout the year to promote inclusion and raise awareness of key issues with the workforce and with members of the community.

RESOLVED that the report be received.