It is important for democratic institutions and public services to reflect the diversity of the population they represent and serve. The diversity agenda has been growing across all aspects of public life and it is important that we as a Council are committed to increasing diversity, which includes tackling the barriers which prevent an individual’s active participation in local democracy.
The Council has proactively taken forward the diversity agenda through a working group and the formal adoption of the Council’s diversity pledge at the extra ordinary Council meeting on the 26th May 2021. The actions taken to ensure the Council delivers on its promises within the pledge are reported and monitored by the Democratic Services Committee and a link to a recent update can be found here.
In addition, following approval of the Council’s Strategic Equality Plan in 2024, which highlights:
The equality objectives the Council will work towards over the next 4 years, an ‘Equality, Inclusion and Diversity Steering Group’ has been established through the Leaders Scheme of Delegation to help shape the delivery of the objectives. It is proposed that delivery and monitoring of the Council’s Diversity Pledge is also included in the remit of the Steering Group
As a Council we need to maintain the continued focus on this important subject and ensure that any perceived barriers to diversity in democracy are eradicated and instead celebrate and promote the rewarding experiences of becoming a Councillor and being involved in the democratic process.