Friday 6 November 2015

Essex County Council/Freedom of Information Act

Freedom of Information Act / Environmental Information Regulations Request


Question 1.  Please send me the reports about the implementation of your Equality and Diversity Scheme for the last three years.

The Council no longer is required to publish an Equality and Diversity Scheme, instead it is required to publish Equality Objectives.

We have incorporated our equality objectives within our equality strategy which can be found here: http://www.essex.gov.uk/Publications/Documents/EQUALITIES_POLICY.pdf


Question 2. Please send me the information about the nature and description of Essex County Council contracts awarded to Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) businesses in the current year and last three years, including the support provided to BME businesses to win Essex County Council’s Contracts.


We do not hold information of the ethnicity of businesses.


Question 3. Please send me the information about the funding allocation and grants to BME voluntary organisations working or based in Essex County Council ( for the current year and last three years), and indicate the proportion of this funding allocation in relation to all voluntary organisations working or based in the County.

We only hold information regarding BME Voluntary and Community Sector Grants for 2014/15 and 2015/16.

Year
Proportion of grants allocated to  BME Groups
2015/16
3.87%
2014/15
1.92%

While we have allocated some funding to BME groups, we also want to ensure that people from all ethnicities can access support and services from the voluntary sector. We have ensured that, within our Voluntary Sector Compact, we have encouraged groups to engage with all communities http://www.essex.gov.uk/Business-Partners/Partners/voluntary-sector-funding/Pages/The-Essex-Compact.aspx



Question 4. Please send me the information about proportion of BME staff employed by the Council, especially in the management positions.

This information is published here: http://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Strategies-Policies/Equality-diversity/Documents/DEReport13-14.pdf  


Question 5. Please send me the report that you may have showing the breakdown of Black  people who have applied for jobs  within Essex  including the rates of applicants invited for  interviews and  the pass rates of the interviews by Black applicants.

This information is published here: http://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Strategies-Policies/Equality-diversity/Documents/DEReport13-14.pdf  


Question 6. Please send me your report about the complaints from the public in relation to your Equality and Diversity Scheme, including any changes or actions that may have been taken place in the Council's policies, activities, and services as the result of these complaints.

We have not received any complaints about the Council’s Equality and Diversity Scheme as we do not have one. We have also not received any complaints about the County Council’s Equalities Strategy.


Question 7. Please send me your annual workforce profile report that provides breakdowns of the workforce profile by gender, ethnicity, religion, disability and age and other additional data required by the relevant institutions.


This information is published here: http://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Strategies-Policies/Equality-diversity/Documents/DEReport13-14.pdf  


Question 8. Please send me any report  that you may have in relation to the Council’s  Engagement with BME people and BME organisations based or serving Essex County Council.

We do not have a report specifically on engagement with BME people or organisations.

Question 9.Please send me your report on the implementation of the Equality & Diversity Policy in relation to  access to employment

This information is published here: http://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Strategies-Policies/Equality-diversity/Documents/DEReport13-14.pdf
Question 10. Please send me the details of the proportion of funding (grants, contracts, etc.) awarded to BME organisations (voluntary and private) by Essex County Council

See question 3  - above.

Question 11. What strategy do you have to fight BME social  isolation and exclusion  and to  increase the proportion of black people personnel if it is under-represented in your workforce ?


The Council does not have a strategy to specifically fight BME social isolation as we are aware that other groups are also vulnerable to social isolation. We have included Community Resilience as part of our Vision for Essex 2013-17 ensuring that we tackle social isolation for all
http://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Strategies-Policies/Pages/EssexWorks-Pledges-2011_12.aspx

BME communities are not underrepresented in our staff (BME communities comprises 9.2% of the population but make up 10.9% of staff).

Black staff are not underrepresented in our staff (Black African/Caribbean/Black British comprise 1.3% of the population of Essex but comprise of 2.8% of employees of Essex County Council).


Question 12. Please also send me the information about the rate of unemployment from Black people residents of Essex County


The County Council does not hold this as we are not responsible for collecting this data.

You may find this website helpful in retrieving this information: http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/


Your Right to Know
Information Services
Essex County Council
Telephone: 08457 430430
Email: YourRight.ToKnow@essex.gov.uk | www.essex.gov.uk
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Our Vision and Services

Our vision is of a society where no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health.

Mental health problems are extremely common across society, with one in four of us experiencing them in any year. Despite being so common, people from all communities will still experience discriminatory attitudes and behaviours that can prevent people from speaking out, seeking support and playing full and active roles in our communities. The impact of mental health stigma and discrimination will vary between communities as mental health has a cultural context that affects the way communities talk about the subject and engage with people who have mental health problems. In some cultures depression, for example, doesn't exist and in others an experience of a mental health problem can be attached to a sense of shame.

For the African and Caribbean communities a key issue is the overrepresentation of young African and Caribbean men in mental health services. Misconceptions and stereotypes have led to a perception that this group is more likely to pose a risk of violent behaviour and, as a result, they are more likely to be treated as inpatients and sectioned when compared to other groups. It is well documented that this has led to a fear of talking about mental health issues more openly and a fear of using mental health services. Research by the Race Equality Foundation (2011) also highlighted fears that discrimination against Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) communities and migrant service users will increase in the austerity climate and whilst commissioning arrangements change.

Our Services

· Provide information, advice, advocacy

· Represent diversity communities in Health Care services, policies and strategies

· Organise training in health and social care in collaboration with local colleges

· Provide human resources ( including interpreters) who are suitable to the diversity communities especially to break language and cultural barriers

· Provides domiciliary care and support

· Provide services such specialised support for people with mental health needs, including people who suffer from short-term memory problems, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

· Provide visits to elderly people and help them with outings and home services

· Participate in local authority and NHS consultations , research events and programmes to voice the needs of diversity communities.

· Increase access to services and rights for disadvantaged people and the most vulnerable of our society

· Help and support unemployed people to look for work, including training and job preparation

· Provide legal advice in a range of issues from on Immigration and Asylum , welfare benefits, housing, health, education, community care, and training, employment, etc.

· Provide advice and guidance, information and practical help so that our service users can access opportunities they are entitled to

· Organise training and other community learning opportunities that provide new skills, increase confidence and motivation

· Support our service users to overcome barriers to learning, employment and training

· Provide support for young people with their education, training, confidence building, employment and social needs.

Objectives of our Diversity Living Programme:

· To promote the inclusion and participation of diversity communities* in integrated care.

· To inform policy, locally and nationally, and assisting in the formulation of effective policies, strategies and good practices in integrated care in order to contribute to improved health outcomes for the people from the diversity communities (e.g. Black and minority ethnic communities) and to ensure health services are able to meet their specific needs.

· To improve the quality of life for diversity people with disability, mental health problems and their families and carers through integrated care by providing inclusive advocacy and information.

· To provide service that enable diversity groups and individuals with disability /elderly and their carers to make the right choice for themselves and have an influence on decisions made about their future.

· To promote the rights of diversity people with disability, their families and carers and make sure their rights are safe and protected.

· To promoting access to information regarding healthcare issues and to raise awareness of the needs of diversity disabled children, young people, older people and their families.

· To promote the rights of older and disabled diversity people, helping them overcome and enable them to participate in decisions about their future

· To provide support and information to those suffering the isolation and loneliness that can be associated with disability and old age

· To fight against mental health stigma in refugee, black and minority ethnic communities and ensure no one should experience discrimination on the grounds of their mental health or disability.

*Diversity communities are older people, disabled people, Black, Asian, refugees, migrants, asylum seekers and other ethnic minorities.