Equal Opportunities Policy

Friendly, responsive and accessible services

Basildon District Council services need to be welcoming to all and able to understand and respond to a variety of needs and requirements.

This means being prepared to adapt and change what we provide. For example, catering for those with disabilities and special needs; providing leisure facilities at concessionary rates for the unemployed, youth and providing multicultural arts for ethnic minorities.

Services based on need

To make sure we have got it right, we need to know what the needs or requirements of different groups are. This means knowing about population trends and the numbers of the relevant groups for our services.

It also means knowing the composition of the different age groups by gender, race and disability and understanding and appreciating the diversity of needs within our communities.

It is vital to know the make-up of the relevant target population so we can assess whether services are reaching all sections. This includes knowing about income levels in the District so that those most in need are receiving vital services and benefits. The annual Basildon Trends and Census data would be used regularly to respond to needs.

Services for all

Our equal opportunities policies in employment would be designed to lead to better services which are sensitive to the variety of needs and requirements in our local communities.

We would aim to give fair access to our services to everyone and this may mean making some special or separate provision. For example, we may wish to promote women-only leisure facilities with some activities for black and ethnic minority women in particular and leisure sessions for other disadvantaged groups.

We must encourage all sections of the community to use the Council's facilities and services.

Consulting local people

We need to make sure that we know people's views and experiences of our services. This requires us to check that the groups we talk to regularly, such as neighbourhood committees, voluntary organisations, tenants'/residents' associations, are representative of a cross-section of local people.

It also means making special or separate arrangements to consult various groups, perhaps using a range of methods, not just our traditional meeting format.

This is in recognition of the fact that some of the established groups do not represent the different sections of the community. It is also a recognition that public meetings may provide access for the articulate groups and could disadvantage the inarticulate groups or ethnic minority people.

Knowing who is using our services

Our policy framework must also include monitoring take up of service so we can check that target groups have access and that use of Council services is in line with what we know about needs among different groups.

Monitoring should not be seen as an end in itself but a means of checking how effective we are being and of then changing, adapting or targeting services.

Targeting Resources

In a climate of declining resources, there will be difficult decisions to be made about resource allocation. Equal opportunities require us to make choices which reflect current needs rather than traditional ways of apportioning services. This means reviewing use to see that it is in line with needs and not simply continuing to deliver a service to the same group of people in the same way.

Information for everyone

Information about services is a crucial element of equal opportunities framework. If it is not made available in an understandable form to all sections, then access to service is in practice restricted to those people "in the know".

Information should be widely circulated, be available in different forms and languages and encourage all groups to use the service. It also needs to make clear to everyone what determines access to services. Clear information about entitlement and about service standards is also important.

Representation

Basildon District Council is not just a provider of services, it is also designed to give people a say in how their local area is run.

All sections of our local community need to be able to identify with the Council and feel that they will be listened to. They also need to feel that they are represented in the decision making process and have some influence on the policy makers.

Our approach to co-options is a way of giving disadvantaged groups additional representation at committee level.

Our approach to consultation is also part of giving local people greater influence and empowering them.

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