The County Council wants to create a culture where people of all backgrounds and experience feel appreciated and valued. It is totally committed to achieving equality of opportunity in service delivery and employment. Citizens who access services, job seekers and employees will be treated fairly and without discrimination. Discrimination on the grounds of race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, gender, marital status, sexuality, disability, age or any other unjustifiable criterion will not be tolerated.

The County Council is opposed to all forms of unlawful and unfair discrimination (including harassment of any kind). The Council will take appropriate action wherever instances of discrimination and harassment occur, in the delivery of services and in the course of employment. It will work effortlessly with its partners to develop effective procedures and policies to combat all forms of unlawful discrimination and to share good practice.

The Council will fulfil its legal obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, Equal Pay Act 1970 (as amended 2004), Race Relations Act 1976 (as amended 2000), the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, the Employment Equality (Sexuality) Regulations 2003, the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 and other European Union Employment Directives, such as that covering age.

Leicestershire County Council will ensure that all services are provided fairly and without discrimination. Reasonable adjustments will be made so that services are accessible to everyone who needs them. People’s cultural and language needs will be recognised and services will be provided which are appropriate to these needs.

The County Council will monitor the take up of services from different sections of the Leicestershire population. The information collected will be used to inform service planning and delivery.  Equalities impact assessments (EIAs) will also be carried out on Council services to assess how services are provided to different sections of the community. The results of the EIAs will highlight areas for improvement, which will be dealt with through service plans.

Before awarding contracts enquiries will be made of potential contractors about their equalities policies and practices. Contract documents will contain terms requiring contractors to comply with their statutory equality obligations and the Council’s equalities policies and practices.

Voluntary sector organisations grant aided by the County Council will be expected to have equal opportunities policies and procedures covering employment and service delivery. They will be expected to comply with their statutory equality obligations, the Council’s equalities policies and practices.

The County Council takes complaints seriously. Members of the public, including job seekers, who feel they have been unfairly treated, have the right to use the County Council’s complaints procedure.

The County Council will work towards creating a workforce which reflects Leicestershire’s diverse population. It will ensure that no-one is unfairly discriminated against when applying for a job or during the course of their employment with the Council.

All employees have equal access to training and career development regardless of any of the considerations mentioned above. The training needs of particular groups of employees who are under-represented in specific occupations and management posts will receive positive attention.

Comprehensive monitoring of the workforce and job applicants by ethnic origin, gender and disability is undertaken and is published. Where required, we will consider introduction of monitoring in other equalities areas. The purpose of monitoring is to evaluate the effectiveness of the Equal Opportunities Policy and take action where evidence shows unfair treatment or where particular communities are not adequately reflected within the workforce.

An employee who has a concern regarding unfair discrimination or harassment at work may use one of the County Council’s formal procedures e.g. grievance, bullying and harassment. This does not affect an employee’s right of reference to an employment tribunal within the statutory time limits.

The County Council requires all its employees to behave in ways that promote equality and are non-racist, non-sexist and generally non-discriminatory. This applies to the way they behave to members of the public in the delivery of services and to other employees in the course of their work.

Employees should participate actively in measures introduced by the County Council to ensure that there is equality of opportunity and non-discrimination. Employees should also draw the attention of management to alleged unlawful or unfair discriminatory acts or practices.

Should employees, through the course of their employment, be found to have caused or encouraged discrimination, this will be regarded as a particularly serious offence, rendering them liable to disciplinary action.