Equality & Diversity: A Case Study – Rotherham MBC Zafar Saleem

1. Equality & Diversity: A Case Study – Rotherham MBC Zafar Saleem Community Engagement & Cohesion Manager Derby Equality & Diversity Network

2. Introduction • Rotherham – The Borough context 2. Weakness • Solutions • Current performance • The future

3. Rotherham - Context

5. Rotherham in Context • Metropolitan borough in the South Yorkshire conurbation, adjoining Sheffield, Barnsley and Doncaster • 285 square kilometres • Over 50% rural • 253,000 population • 13400 employees • Economic transformation • Unemployment 3.22% (2.99% nationally)

6. Rotherham in Context • BME population – 5.2% • Disabled people – 22.4% • Women in Rotherham earn £40 per week less than national average for women • Very small recognisable LGBT community • Gypsy & Traveller • Older People – 34% of population age 50+ • Diverse religious community • Migrants workers- growing (2000+ Roma)

7. Rotherham in Context Population: 250,000 Non-white ethnic minority : 3.1% Asylum Seekers: 751 50 different countries unemployment rate: 3.75% The largest n/w ethnic group is Pakistani: 1.9% Disabled in community :18.86% Iranian Community LGBT 70% Rural Disabled employees: 2.06% 88%n/w/e below 50 37% children (0-15) Main Languages Spoken: English, Urdu, Arabic, French 52% is inactive

8. Weaknesses - Our starting point

9. “At the time of the Corporate Governance Inspection there was evidence of green shoots of improvement. The Council started from a low base, much still remains to be done and some hard decisions need to be taken” Corporate Governance Inspection Report – March 2002 • Council vision unclear with no strategic direction • Lack of confident corporate management team • Mixed quality service management teams • Limited performance management arrangements • Council operated in silos • Weak – Benefits, Public Housing Stock, Access, Education, Governance • CPA position December 2002/03 – Weak

10. Equality & Diversity – where we started • Lacked strategic direction • Few resources • Application: ad hoc, no corporate or systematic approach • Initiatives piecemeal and non-sustainable • No impact on organisation or externally (community/partners) • Non-compliant (RES not implemented; reserved BVPIs; ESLG (Level 0); work mainly employment focussed

11. Solutions

12. What did we do? • Leadership and commitment • Challenge • Focus on priorities • (outcome based approach) • Capacity building • Partnership working • Embedding performance management culture – accountability • Celebrating success

13. Leadership and commitment • Full commitment of Leader and Chief Executive • Cabinet lead for community cohesion and equalities • Strong Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) • Reporting mechanisms • Corporate Management Team • Cabinet • Democratic Renewal Scrutiny Panel • Performance and Scrutiny Overview Committee

14. Challenge • Accelerated targets (Equality Framework for Local Government) • Self Assessment • Role of Scrutiny • Performance clinics • Corporate Equality and Diversity Strategy Group

15. Focus on priorities • Community Strategy published 2005 - 5 key themes and 2 cross cutting themes • Equality agenda based on legal, national and local priorities • Engagement with stakeholders and communities of interest • Promotion of vision – Faces of Rotherham campaign

16. Capacity Building - Internal • 700+ managers attended workshops in year 1 • Briefings to all employees • Member Development Programme • Reviewed and restructured Corporate Equality Strategy Group • Equality Champions and Directorate Coordinators • 215 employees trained on equality impact assessment • Corporate support through policy development, processes, guidance and toolkits. • Workforce planning • Equality and diversity competencies for all employees (PDR) • Community of interest networks and support

17. Capacity Building - External • LGBT community groups • RCM & Inter-Faith network • Diverse BME sector • Anchor groups (VAR, REMA, RWN) • Voice & Influence (YP) • Organisations of Disabled People • Effective & Committed LSP

18. Partnership working • Local Strategic Partnership • Shared vision – equality and fairness built into all strategies and policies (Community Strategy, NRS etc) • Joint working with partner agencies and voluntary community sector • Examples of partnership working: • Community Cohesion Group • Rotherham Ethnic Minorities Alliance • Women’s Strategy Group • Mosque Liaison Group

19. Performance Management Culture • Raised profile (equality targets adopted as CX commitments) • Clear roles and accountability • Best practice • Service Planning Framework • Performance Management Framework • Robust performance information, monitoring, research • External audit • Focus on positives

20. Achievements “ To stop a decline is impressive. To reverse it within just a few years and climb towards the top of the ladder is altogether a different achievement, but that is just what Rotherham MBC has done” IDeA

21. E&D Achievement • First council or public body of any size to be recognised as achieving “excellence” under the Equality Framework for Local Government • Level 0 (2004) to Excellent (2009)

22. What Still Needs ToBe Done ……. • EFLG improvement plan implementation • EA 2010 • Staying relevant? • Big Society • Localism Bill • New language: integration, fairness, equity • Challenge to do more for less/CSR • Place based budgets: Borough wide integration with PCT and SYP via Community Strategy and LSP • Community Cohesion • Development of communities of interest/place

23. Thank You For Listening