Equality and diversity report

What we have achieved in 2022-23

Political and Officer Leadership

Commitment to Equality and Diversity

We recognise and value a society that consists of many diverse groups and individuals and considers that this diversity is a strength of the borough. Our Equal Opportunities Policy demonstrates our corporate commitment to equality and diversity.

We are committed to ensuring:

• equality of opportunity in terms of access to our services and that the provision of services reflects, and is appropriate to, the needs of all sections of our community
• prospective and present employees are afforded equal and fair treatment in relation to recruitment, selection, terms and conditions of employment, training and promotion
• individuals from protected groups are encouraged to participate in public life

During 2023-24 we will develop a new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policy to update and replace our current Equal Opportunities policy.

Priorities and working in partnership

Voluntary and Community Sector

During 2022-23 we have focused on tackling socio-economic inequalities faced by residents through local partnership working with the Voluntary and Community Sector to respond to the ongoing energy crisis and cost of living crisis. We developed information, advice and guidance on our website help with the cost of living to better support residents and signpost them to the available help from both the council and partner organisations across Gateshead and working with Citizens Advice Gateshead we developed 24 advice outlets across the Borough.

In Autumn 2022, to support with rising energy costs we worked with our partners and provided small grants to create a network of Warm Spaces, a group of places where Gateshead people could come together to stay warm and socially active. Our Warm Spaces directory listed all the places available to our residents across the public, private, health and voluntary sectors so that anyone who is cold knows where they can go to get warm, stay warm and have company and some free hot refreshments. We also conducted a number of energy roadshows in high footfall shopping areas and in specific communities of interest to include some 1-2-1 and small group work and we distributed scores of Winter Warmer Boxes which included essential items to "heat the person not the home".

We allocated some of our Household Support Fund (HSF) from government to 'provide crisis support to vulnerable households in most need of support to help with the significantly rising living costs'. We know that those residents facing high levels of socio-economic disadvantage are also more likely to have specific protected characteristics (children in low income families living in poverty and cold homes, people with disabilities claiming benefits and with higher living costs paying a disability premium, and the impact of gender and ethnic minority pay gaps meaning children from single parent or ethnic minority families are much more likely to be living in poverty), so by providing targeted support to these residents we are also working towards improving equality outcomes.

The fund is intended to cover a wide range of low-income households in need including families with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers, and people with disabilities. During 2022-23 we supported 7,700 children through extending the Free School Meals provision during school holidays and low-income households though feeding families, Gateshead foodbank and local food co-op support. The Jewish Community Council were funded to support children from low-income households in Jewish schools who do not access free school meals.

Funding criteria required the funding to be distributed 1/3 to pensioners, 1/3 to families with children and 1/3 to other households in need. The following households automatically received an award from the fund: · Households in receipt of Free School meals · Young parents · Families with disabled children and young adults · Care leavers · Households identified by Family support workers or Health Visitors · Families with Children in the Jewish Community where identified need · 8,500 Pension Age residents in receipt of Council Tax Support

Other households in need were targeted through direct referrals and with the help of professionals in social care, early help, councillors and health visitors, pre-school children and young people who did not fall within the free school meal target group. These included: young parents (150), families with disabled children and young adults (228), care leavers (224), Family support worker school referrals (100), Health visitor referrals (100). External partners including Age UK Gateshead, Older People's assembly, Citizens Advice Gateshead referred pension age residents who were just coping in for support.

Regional Equalities Network

We have continued to actively engage with the North East Equalities Network, facilitated by the North East Regional Employers' Organisation. This regional partnership enables shared learning on equality issues across public sector employers. In 2022-23, the focus has been on equality training, procurement of services, meeting the Public Sector Equality Duty and support to staff networks

Employee Equality Network

We continue to support our Employee Equality Network, a council wide staff group, who come together at least quarterly to discuss current EDI issues and inform and influence our approach to equality and diversity through contributing their experience, expertise and ideas. During 2022-23 the network have shaped emerging workforce EDI policies and practice and discussed accessibility to the civic centre for employees and service users.

Performance monitoring and scrutiny

Equality indicators within the Performance Management and Improvement Framework

Our Performance Management and Improvement Framework (PMIF) enables us to know how we are delivering on our Thrive policy and our Health and Wellbeing strategy.  It has a clear focus on priorities, delivery, measurement and analysis of impact.

The analysis of our year-end performance for April 2021 to March 2022 (opens new window) against each of the 6 policy objectives of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Balanced Scorecard is reported to Overview and Scrutiny committees (OSC) and Cabinet. Corporate Resources OSC considered the organisational 'health check' Balanced Scorecard, which includes equality indicators.

Key emerging headlines relevant to equalities include:

• the continuing impacts of rising costs facing local people, families, and businesses, as well as in the delivery of services
• the demand pressures being faced by services such as in children's and adult social care continue to increase, as well as expanding demand for debt advice
• inequalities continue to widen. Thrive data shows a shift (over 2 percentage points) compared with the previous year-end, towards more people being vulnerable, moving from the just coping and managing categories. There is minimal change in the proportion of people 'thriving'
• additional support is still being sought and provided to local people and businesses through various grants, although this is affected additional by burdens relating to central Government's initiatives. Household support grant is to continue for a further 12 months

Our employee equality indicator, percentage of the workforce self reporting their protected characteristics, improved from a baseline of 35% (Mar 21) to our current level of 52% (Mar 23).

For our residents' equality indicators, percentage of residents who are in vulnerable, just coping, managing or thriving categories taken from our Local index of need (LIoN) data analysis, the picture is mixed. Residents identified as being most vulnerable reduced from a baseline of 39.5% to 34.1%. Increases were seen in the percentage of residents just coping or managing, however a reduction noted in percentage of residents who were thriving from 17.7% to 10%.

What we have achieved in 2022-23

Collecting and sharing information

Local Index of Need (LIoN) and Thrive update 2022

The Local Index of Need (LIoN) continues to be updated on an annual basis, with the last update towards the end of 2022. LIoN enables identification of current need for small geographical areas within Gateshead based on 39 key indicators. LIoN is displayed on an interactive mapping tool, allowing easy visualisation of and access to the overall and thematic index data, as well as the individual indicators used to build these indices. The Thrive classification uses a subset of the LIoN indicators and was updated at the same time. Thrive allows monitoring of change over time and identifies areas that are thriving, managing, just coping or vulnerable.

Further develop the corporate consultation portal to develop mapping functionality to better capture respondents data

Mapping functionality has now been developed on the consultation portal and several consultations have successfully been run including topics such as climate change, tree and woodland planting, and more recently walking zones and the cycling network. The latter two saw the addition of functionality to add multiple points and comments to just one map (previously this was restricted to just one point per map). We will continue to look for opportunities to further develop functionality in conjunction with the consultation portal system supplier to enable better capture of geographical information.

Analysing and using data and information

Develop a corporate approach to internal data management, insights and performance

Our Corporate Data, Insight and Performance Group (CDIP) initiated a project focused on developing a single view of debt across all council services. The aim is to provide better intelligence to services involved in the collection of debt to support decision making about how best to proceed and intervene to recover the right debt. The outputs of this project are also being used to develop an evidence base to inform changes to our Debt Management policy, to be more flexible to the needs of our residents, in-line with the Thrive agenda.

Census 2021

Our Research and Intelligence team has published online a series of topic briefings analysing the Census 2021 data releases for the Gateshead population. Locally, Gateshead had a 97% census survey response rate. The census topic briefings analyse the published population data and trends by most protected characteristics. These include age, sex, ethnic group, religion, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, disability and marriage or civil partnership. The Equalities Profile (PDF, 112 KB)(opens new window) for Gateshead has been updated with the latest population data and is published as Appendix 2.

Further work is underway to produce ward factsheets, using Census 2021 data, and to make available through our Council website locality profiles using ONS' build a custom area profile tool. These fact sheets and profiles will include information about many protected characteristics for geographies within Gateshead.This data informs our evidence base such as the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment for developing council policy.

2022 Annual Report from Director of Public Health

Our Director of Public Health published their statutory annual report for 2022, Mind the Gap - women and health inequalities (PDF, 9 MB)(opens new window). The focus of the report is on the range of inequalities faced by women at all levels of society and at all points across their lives. It highlights that some women will experience multiple and overlapping issues, widening their inequalities, resulting in clear, systematic differences in health between men and women.

There are 6 recommendations to tackle these health inequalities faced by women set out in the report.

1. Giving every child the best start in life is the most important thing that we can all do, which also includes making sure that the mother is supported throughout pregnancy and beyond.
2. Enabling children, girls and women to live their lives to the fullest is important to enable gender equalities across the life course, as we know that gender roles and inequalities are embedded at very young ages.
3. Enabling children, girls and women to live their lives to the fullest is important to enable gender equalities across the life course, as we know that gender roles and inequalities are embedded at very young ages.
4. It is important that we ensure a healthy standard of living for all so that we create positive generational life changes.
5. To enable girls and women to have equality, then we must create and develop sustainable places and communities for girls and women.
6. To ensure that women live healthy lives for longer, it is important to strengthen the role and impact of ill health prevention.

Effective community engagement

Council Consultation opportunities

There were 27 public consultations or consultations targeted at specific groups publicised and/or run through the Council's consultation portal in 2022-23, with more than 7,700 responses received (Note: total responses will be higher as some responses are received outside of the portal due to varying methods used). These consultations included surveys on the Budget 2023-24, the first phase of the GO Gateshead leisure service review, North East devolution, SEND strategy, physical activity strategy, the Sage arena, exhibition and conference centre, former and current armed forces and reserves, Council tenant satisfaction, and school admission arrangements amongst others

Developing our approach to Resident Influence

We have worked closely with customers to develop a resident influence framework that provides a wide range of accessible opportunities for as many residents as possible to engage, provide feedback and influence. The framework includes three formal groups:

Resident Influence Panel

Comprising of tenants, leaseholders and officers, the Resident Influence Panel has two main aims:

• to make sure that residents' experiences are influencing service design and delivery
• to make sure we act on what customers tell us through formal engagement, but to also make sure that we proactively listen and gather feedback from the wider resident base

The group have undertaken the following during 2022-23:

• ensured that consultation was carried out with tenants and leaseholders as part of the Tenancy and Allocations Review. This will ensure that customers have a voice in the re-design and delivery process

• commissioned a scrutiny review of customer contact, presenting their findings and recommendations to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. These findings will inform a review of customer contact across Housing Services and the wider Council

• commissioned a focus group to develop an Annual Report for social housing in line with regulatory requirements

• in response to the Annual Tenant Satisfaction Survey results, commissioned a newsletter to be produced and distributed to all tenants informing them of our response to the results and what action we're taking

The group will continue to progress with the recommendations in their action plan throughout 2023-24 and work in accordance with the regulatory standard and relevant legislation, to ensure efficient and effective co-design of housing services for an improved customer experience.

Multi-Storey Safety Group

In response to the Building Safety Act 2022, we established a Multi-Storey Safety Group in May 2022. This group aims to make sure we deliver multi-storey housing that is safe to live in and that we provide relevant and up-to-date information to residents.

Tenants, leaseholders and housing staff will work together to oversee how we deliver on the resident engagement requirements of the Building Safety Act.

During 2022-23 the group have developed the Resident Engagement Strategy for building safety, influenced how building safety will be provided to tenants and leaseholders and created a postcard that was distributed to all multi-storey residents to enable us to collect information about those who require help in the event of an evacuation.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group

Residents, housing staff and partners work together to ensure that the services we provide are fair, accessible, and designed around the needs of all our customers.

We welcome members from diverse communities, particularly LGBTQ+, BAME and people with disabilities, who can share their lived experiences to help us provide housing services that work for everyone.

During 2022-23 members have been involved in an awareness raising campaign during Mental Health Awareness Week. They have also worked with officers to review and test the application process for Lettings to ensure they are fully accessible. 

Fostering good community relations

Gateshead Community Safety board

Gateshead Community Safety Board continues to have a strategic priority relating to Hate Crime and Tension Monitoring (as part of the 'Protecting People from Harm' theme).  Gateshead Council continues to co-ordinate the multi-agency activity to reduce harms caused by hate incidents across the Borough in partnership with Northumbria Police and other key stakeholders. 

The partnership is currently refreshing the local Hate Crime Strategy and Action Plan 2023/25 which focuses our activities around three areas: 1) increase awareness and reporting of hate crime; 2) increase uptake and access of victim support services; and 3) deliver hate crime education.  Northumbria Police continue to offer, encourage and promote support mechanisms available for victims and witnesses of hate crime - including the refresh of Safe Reporting Centres - to help increase reporting and access to victim support services. 

Partners remain committed to developing local activity in support of national Hate Crime Awareness Week in October which helps to raise the profile of hate crime and where to report incidents as well as communicating the successes of our work.  Northumbria Police and Gateshead Council continue to deliver and commission hate crime awareness training to services and organisations and regularly engage with key community groups throughout Gateshead.  We promote and develop the role of the Hate Crime Champions scheme within Gateshead (including to public and private sector, schools and voluntary sector).  We receive, monitor and respond to hate incidents via the Gateshead Council online reporting mechanism which allows us to identify and proactively respond to emerging trends/tensions within Gateshead.  The Police Central Engagement Team engage with schools to encourage take up of hate crime awareness and champions training for staff and pupils. 

Gateshead Council supports individuals vulnerable to being drawn into terrorist-related activities through the multi-agency Prevent and Channel Panel programme.  In addition, we work alongside the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit to identify harm hotspot areas - and have commissioned various interventions to tackle serious violence within our most affected neighbourhoods/communities.  We commissioned a Community Safety Survey to help capture feelings of safety and perceptions of crime within key locations to help us to improve community confidence. We also commissioned various Youth Outreach and Engagement work to help address issues of anti-social behaviour and foster improved community relations in hotspot areas. 

Equality Data - Hate Crime reports

Hate crimes and incidents are reported either via Northumbria Police or through the Council's online reporting system.  The majority of reports made to the Council's online reporting system are reports made by schools.  Data has been cross-checked to ensure that all reports are just counted once. 

During 2022-23 there were 351 hate-related incidents reported in Gateshead, consistent with numbers in 21-22.  As has been found in previous years, most reports relate to racist incidents, with almost 6 in 10 incidents been classed as racist.  Religious and homophobic incidents each account for 16% of all hate incidents reported in Gateshead. 

Verbal abuse is the most common form of hate incident perpetrated in Gateshead; three quarters of reports made to the Council involve verbal abuse. 

A refresh of Gateshead's Hate Crime Strategy is due to be completed by March 2024 and the Hate Crime and Tension Monitoring Group will be reestablished. 

Equality Data - Domestic Abuse 

Police incidents of domestic abuse increased by 4.2% in 2022-23, with 5,881 incidents reported.  Of those incidents, 3,276 individuals were identified.  Females account for almost three quarters of victims identified, the same figure as reported last year.   

While Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority victims represent less than 1% of all victims of domestic abuse, the number of individuals from minority backgrounds has increased by a fifth in the last 12 months.   

2% of domestic abuse victims were aged between 16 and 17, while 13% were aged over 55.   

A Domestic Abuse Partnership Board has been established for 2023-24 to ensure that processes and services are in place to support all victims of domestic abuse.  As part of this, a domestic abuse needs assessment will also be produced which will identify gaps and areas for partners to improve upon. 

Improving the equality data for our domestic abuse service is a current focus, with the implementation of Mosaic, our new council case recording system for adults' and childrens' services. 

What we have achieved in 2022-23

Commissioning and procuring services

Corporate Commissioning and Procurement Strategy and approach to Social Value

Following approval of the Corporate Procurement Strategy 2022 and implementing our new approach to achieving and maximising Social Value in procurement activity the Council has received the equivalent of £4.1m in social value offers. We are in the process of developing a web page for the Council - The Gateshead Social Value Exchange.

The Gateshead Social Value Exchange has been created to allow local Voluntary Organisations, Social Enterprises, Schools and Community Groups to reap the wider benefits from contracts delivered in Gateshead.  The concept is simple.  Local Voluntary Organisations, Social Enterprises, Schools and Community Groups are encouraged to submit requests detailing what they need.  Procurers and suppliers can easily view this list and align their Social Value offers based on need.

What is The Gateshead Social Value Exchange - The Gateshead Social Value Exchange is designed to bring suppliers, schools, colleges, community groups and VCSEs together to build a better future and help Gateshead to Thrive.  The Gateshead Social Value Exchange will help to maximise Social Value benefits by delivering to the needs of the Borough of Gateshead.

What is Social Value - The Public Services (Social Value) Act (opens new window) came into force on 31 January 2013. It requires people who commission public services to think about how they can also secure wider social, economic, and environmental benefits for the people and communities of Gateshead. Gateshead Council are committed to delivering Social Value and want to encourage organisations to offer services and/or support across the Borough of Gateshead and to connect suppliers with schools, colleges, community groups, and VCSEs.

Suppliers, schools, colleges, community groups and VCSEs who are based within the Borough of Gateshead - are encouraged to submit requests detailing what you need.  Procurers and suppliers are encouraged to submit offers of support or requests. The Council can then align the Social Value offers based on need. 

As a Supplier, their contribution could make a huge impact in Gateshead whether you give up an hour of your time, several hours a week, commit to a one-off project or give donations in kind. We know that it isn't always easy to find the right organisation to support or how to match your skill (and time) with the right recipient.  You are therefore encouraged to submit offers of support which can then be aligned by the Council with the requests received.

The Council has recently appointed a Social Value Coordinator using the UKSPF fund, this is a fixed term post until March 2025.  This post will be responsible for the delivery and coordination of social value offers.

Integration of equality objectives into planned service outcomes

Corporate Equality objective

Our corporate Equality Objective agreed at Cabinet in April 2021 is; to establish an equality baseline and deeper understanding of the issues and needs for Gateshead by protected characteristic; to include our residents and our workforce, to support delivery of our strategic approach Thrive and the Council pledges.

Progress has been made on understanding our workforce, with the current workforce data (non-schools) published in Appendix 1 to this report. This is data from our people management system at 31.03.23 with self-reported protected characteristics from across our employees.

The 2021 Census data releases were analysed to develop topic briefings on our Gateshead population by protected characteristic. This will be further developed at a ward level with factsheets and locality mapping during 2023-24.

Service Design and Delivery

Digital Gateshead

Digital customer

We were early participants of the Local Digital Declaration in 2018 which commits us to "design services that best meet the needs of citizens" as its primary objective. The Local Digital Unit at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities invited Gateshead Council to participate in user research to find out how the Declaration can be improved 5 years on. We will adopt the findings of the research and refresh our commitment to the Digital Declaration during 2023. In June 2022, we recruited a dedicated Service Design Lead and a team of three Service Redesign Analysts. A key task for them is to establish a community of practice in service design across the Council. We actively involve our users in the design process from the very beginning because we know it's the people who use our services that are best able to improve them. Getting users involved at the beginning avoids any guesswork and ensures that we are creating services that serve the people who will be using them. We consult with our Digital panel, residents who participate in research that informs the delivery of our services, most recently how to structure the information on our website.

A focus this year was to assist our response to the cost-of-living crisis. This included the development of digital processes for Council Tax Energy Rebate, COVID Additional Relief Fund (CARF) and the distribution of the Household Support fund. Working with partners a network of places where Gateshead people can come together to stay warm was created and promoted online as a 'warm spaces directory' alongside information to access other support and services. In addition, a 'Brighten the Day' website was launched for Gateshead Council's Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme which provides food and an extensive programme of activities for children who usually get a free school meal.

Other initiatives included extending the number of online payments for our licensing teams. We have also implemented improved secure telephone payments for those residents who can't pay online. Application processes for skip permits and dropped kerbs were introduced as well as ongoing improvements to our successful blue badge application process.

Our digital services continue to have high self-service take up. Booking a slot to attend a Household Waste and Recycling centre is 98% online, garden waste subscriptions 84% and applying for a blue badge is 70% online. We still offer these services over the phone to those who are unable to access the internet. After the submission of an online service request, we ask for customer feedback. Of the 459,388 cases raised our customers rated them 4.41 out of 5 for 2022-23.

We maintain compliance of www.gateshead.gov.uk with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 with a particular focus on ensuring all documents are converted to HTML format to improve accessibility. Examples include the Climate Change Strategy 2022, Gateshead Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the Youth Justice Strategic Plan.

Digital Inclusion

Our Libraries Digital team promotes digital inclusion and access to IT for all. As part of this they led a programme of SIM card distribution in partnership with Good Things Foundation in 2022/23.  The Digital team worked with a number of partners including Peace of Mind, 2wayTenancy, Ukrainian refugees, Domestic Abuse Team, Working Gateshead, and Community Link Workers to distribute free SIM cards to people in need. The SIMs are allocated through the National Databank scheme and last 6 months with a free monthly allocation of 20gb data plus unlimited calls and texts.  85 SIM cards were gifted in total. The team offer support for switching SIMS, retaining original numbers, downloading necessary apps and take the opportunity to tell clients about other sessions that can be offered.

Election - accessibility

The Elections Act 2022 brought in additional duties to make sure that elections are as accessible as possible to all voters with disabilities. In particular to ensure that voters with disabilities attending polling stations are able to vote independently and in secret

Our election team is aware that disabled people face barriers to voting at a polling station where they might not have the support they need, or they encounter physical, visual, or psychological barriers for example.  We are also aware that not all disabilities are obvious, and some voters may have more than one disability.

In response to the new rules, our election team did the following for the local elections in May 2023:

• liaised directly with Gateshead disability and minority groups
• improved the website content informing voters what assistance was available
• produced a polling station support leaflet (circulated in advance to disability groups)
• produced new polling station posters
• provided an accessibility pack to election staff for use in each polling station which contained the following; tactile voting device, A5 size magnifier, Mencap easy read guide, pen and pencil with grips attached, portable lights and a portable doorbell (where needed).

Our election team will make further adjustments are required to ensure that voting continues to be as accessible as possible to all voters

Improving Customer Experience

Through 2022-23 we have continued to listen to customers and have adjusted the way we use our buildings to serve customers.  In the Civic Centre this has included re-opening a reception area in the centre of the building. With further plans in development for this area to improve the experience for all customers needing to make face-to-face contact with us.  By enhancing level access to facilities we endeavour to offer the best possible quality of service to all customers.

Libraries, Arts and Heritage

Our Libraries, Arts and Heritage service promotes equality and diversity through our events programming and through positive action to ensure diversity of our book stock. Libraries use high profile national activities such as Pride month, Stephen Lawrence Day, Holocaust Memorial Day, Black History Month, and Women's History Month to promote our diverse offer of stock to library customers. We also use these themes to select titles for reading groups (both adult and young people's) - we have a variety of books to promote discussion around race, sexuality, disability.

In addition, we have a monthly readers group for people with complex, long-term mental health conditions in partnership with Tyneside Women's Health. We hosted author visits from children's authors Onjali Q Rauf and Sufiya Ahmed in a conscious decision to include authors from minority backgrounds in our schools programme as part of Northern Children's Book Festival.

In 2022, our Library service began work in assisted living facilities to encourage use of our eBook platform Borrow box, and the Readers at Home library service as well as discussing books and reminiscing about Gateshead in the past. This is targeted work focused on people who have been socially isolated, are less mobile due to age/medical conditions, have dementia, some have learning difficulties.

Our Arts team delivered a family Mini Pride event at Gateshead Central Library in partnership with Curious Arts, an LGBTQ+ cultural organisation.  The event celebrated everything that's unique about families. Curious Arts are also delivering Wild and Curious as part of the Emerald Explorers programme, with outdoor activities for young people. The Arts team also supported GemArts with their Mini Mela in February half term at Gateshead Central Library and the Masala festival in July, which included an exhibition showcasing work by Mani Kambo and Sofia Barton and supporting public workshops and activities with Art Diamonds, a creative wellbeing programme for people of retirement age.

A broader programme of local history activities has been developed through new links with experts and publishers of diverse histories.  Memories of local LGBTQ women were made available via a new Sound and Film area in Gateshead Archive. Historians delivered sessions to Gateshead schools, residents and library staff to strengthen knowledge of Jewish, African/Caribbean and South Asian history as part of Gateshead History Festival. Research into the earliest records about people of African descent in Gateshead Archive collections was completed (covering the period 1600-1850) and has revealed documents relevant to people who were enslaved.  The research has been presented in a new teaching pack about Gateshead and the Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans. The pack includes detail of local families and industrialists who were directly involved in holding enslaved people or who benefitted directly from the trade. More importantly, the pack includes information about the lives of the African and Caribbean residents in Gateshead discovered during the research. 

What we have achieved in 2022-23

Workforce diversity and inclusion

We recognise the importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion, and the benefits a diverse workforce can bring to Gateshead Council. Creating an environment where differences are embraced allows for 'alternative ideas' and 'ways of thinking' to flourish, both of which are fundamental ingredients in ensuring we continue to deliver 'value for money' and 'exceptional services' in a way that connects with our customers.

Connecting with our customers is vital, therefore encouraging and increasing diversity will likely result in a workforce which is more representative of our customers, making our services more relatable, increasing customer engagement and overall customer satisfaction.

Our vision is to be an employer who embraces, and welcomes diversity, who is truly inclusive and who demonstrates equality for all. We'll go the extra mile so that our approach is representative of the communities we serve and each other. What we'll do will set us apart from others and we'll encourage others to follow our lead, because it's not just the right thing to do, or because the law requires us to, it makes for better outcomes for the Council, the community we serve and our people.

Our vision is about:

• Leading a culture where all our people are truly inspired, regardless of their characteristics because we respect individuality knowing that diverse talent brings creativity and innovation, which can only benefit us all
• Ensuring we have a working environment that if everyone expects more, they can achieve more
• Developing a work experience where people love coming to work knowing that being individual is something to be proud of
• Building a brand which is recognised by our future employees as an employer that wants them to bring their best selves to work, knowing that they'll feel valued and welcome, because what they do and how they do it is all that matters to us
• Ensuring we have an environment where our people feel able to be themselves, challenge poor behaviours and encourage everyone to be accepting, welcoming and at home at Gateshead Council
• Having inspirational leaders who role model what great looks like, being inclusive, treating everyone as equals and applauding diversity
• Establishing ways of working that ensures that our practices, process, systems, policies, and procedures support our ambition to be an exemplar for equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Providing opportunities for people to grow, learn, develop, and help others
• Ensuring that Gateshead Council is a great place to work where people want to come, and people want to stay
• Having a workforce which is representative of the community we serve
• Achieve significantly more diverse representation across each level of job role in our workforce
• Design ways of working that are aimed at improving opportunities for personal growth and progression
• Design ways of working that are aimed at removing unintended barriers which hinder and/or prevent individuals from challenged socio economic backgrounds from entering, retaining and progressing their employment
• Not only meeting our obligations in line with the Equality Framework for Local Government, but exceeding them
• Meeting our obligations, and complying with our Public Sector Equality duties

Inclusive strategies and policies

Workforce Strategy 2022-25

Cabinet approved a refreshed workforce strategy 2022-25 with the goal of being an 'employer of choice', with quality services delivered by a flexible workforce which is healthy, engaged, motivated and who thrive through work.

The themes within the Workforce Strategy encompass the entire employee life cycle, including; recruitment and retention, lifelong learning and development, wellbeing engagement and inclusion, leadership behaviours and performance and workforce design.

A work programme and five-year delivery plans have been developed in 2022-23, with a key purpose of underpinning employee wellbeing, equalities and engagement across all workforce activity, ensuring it becomes a fundamental consideration in 'all' decision making and change programmes.

We are developing a Workforce Equality Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and work will commence in 2023 on an action plan to ensure that we reach level five of our maturity model which is to have a culture which is recognised as one where we are a role model to others, where everything we do is to enhance our approach to equality, diversity and inclusion, this is our business as usual approach and the impact on the employee experience, customer satisfaction and organisational performance is evident.

We've developed an inclusivity passport which is simply a way to share and record information that an employee wants the organisation to know about so that we can support and help our people be the best version of themselves at work.

It is a voluntary, supportive tool designed to provide a documented record of an individuals' needs, which will allow them to function to their full potential in a supportive and encouraging environment.

We'll develop an action plan to deliver the strategy once it's approved and we're investing in an EDI and wellbeing professional to join the HR team in delivering a positive difference.

Work has already commenced on the Apprenticeship Delivery Plan; embracing a health and safety culture; development of career pathways and succession plans; development and delivery of management development and leadership programmes; and embedding the hybrid working model.

Delivery of the strategy will have positive implications for employee equality and diversity, particularly the development of an 'employee wellbeing, inclusion and engagement framework.

Apprenticeship Strategy

Cabinet approved a new Apprenticeship Strategy 2021-24 and delivery action plan in October 2021. The Apprenticeship Strategy supports a strategic approach to how apprenticeships will help us to attract, retain and develop our workforce. The strategy sets out the positive action that we will take in our approach to apprenticeships. One of its aims is to develop workforce diversity and inclusivity.

Our Apprenticeship Co-ordinator, working in partnership with colleagues in Business, Employment & Skills, LearningSkills and others, continues to review our approach to attracting apprentices from a diverse background and breakdown role stereotypes. 

There were 80 new apprentices in the council in 2022-23. 48 of these were new hires and 32 were existing employees who were supported to upskill and develop via an apprenticeship.

The profile of the 80 new apprentices is:

No disability information has been specified, however, at least one of the new apprentices has a disability.

Tackling apprentice gender stereotypes;

We ensure that all publicity relating to the promotion of our apprenticeships on social media and web pages has gender inclusive photos. We ensure our job profiles, adverts and essential criteria are gender neutral and don't unnecessarily exclude a particular gender. We also circulate our vacancies as widely as possible across the community, schools and colleges. We will also be asking selection panels to be gender balanced going forward.

•  1 x female Construction Design and build technician
• Of the 24 new school-based Apprentices, 4 are male
• Of the 6 new Social Work Apprentices, 3 are male

Apprenticeships for Looked after Children

Our Apprenticeship Strategy supports the Council's responsibility as a corporate parent and aims to ensure that young people leaving care have the opportunity of an apprenticeship within the Council.

Work is on-going with the Employment, Education and Training (EET) panel and Corporate Parenting EET workstream to develop appropriate processes and strategies to support looked after children and care leavers to access apprenticeships.

Looked after children and care leavers who meet the essential criteria for an apprenticeship are guaranteed an interview.

To date we have offered 3 traineeships to Looked After Children/Young Care Leavers, with one being taken up and successfully completed.

Work Placements / Supported Internships

We are working with Learning and Skills and others across the Council to develop a formal work placement arrangement to support more Young People with additional needs to have greater choice and control over their future, opening up opportunities that prepare them for adult life and independent living and to break down barriers to employment. To achieve this, young people who live and learn in Gateshead will be supported to access appropriate work placements to give them a better chance of finding meaningful employment.

As part of this proposal, Learning and Skills, will work in partnership with the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi), to increase the quality and availability of Supported Internships for Young People with additional needs.

A formal work placement arrangement will be developed within the Council that is available to people looking for work experience or skills development including young people, older people returning to work or those looking for a change in career.

The new arrangements will be tested with a one-year pilot project for young people accessing Traineeships, Study Programmes, Supported Internship, or Employability programmes with us who are at a disadvantage, have additional educational needs or live complex lives. The pilot will be aimed at young people who have missed out on work experience opportunities due to the pandemic, have more complex needs, or who need a higher level of support to find suitable work opportunities or have their aspirations realised.

To meet this commitment, every Service within the Council will consider the benefits of work placements and makes a commitment to providing at least one work placement (of at least 1
week) to a young person in the first year.

Collecting, analysing and publishing workforce data

Gender Pay Gap Gateshead

Gateshead Council gender pay gap data for 2022-23 reporting year (opens new window)

The data for this exercise was taken from the March 2022 payroll which includes the snapshot date of 31 March 2022.

• The mean hourly rate of pay for all male full-pay relevant employees is £15.55. The mean hourly rate of pay for all female full-pay relevant employees is £14.84
• The mean gender pay gap therefore equated to 4.56%, which is a decrease from 6.70% in 2021
• The median hourly rate of pay for all male full-pay relevant employees is £14.18. The median hourly rate of pay for all female full-pay relevant employees is £13.43.
• The median gender pay gap therefore equates to 5.28%, which is a decrease from 5.78% in 2021.

Since reporting against the gender pay gap began in 2017, the Council have demonstrated a trend reduction in the gender pay gap. The Council is a diverse organisation employing people across all grades in a wide variety of job roles and across a range of professions, providing a range of services.

In April 2021, the Gateshead Housing Company was dissolved, and its functions and staff transferred back to the Council, increasing the headcount for both male and female employees.
We employ almost twice as many females than males.

It should be noted that gender pay gap differs from equal pay. Whilst equal pay concerns with the differences in pay between men and women who carry out the same jobs, similar jobs, or work of equal value; gender pay gap reporting shows the differences in the average pay between men and women. If women do more of the less well-paid jobs within an organisation than men, the pay gap is usually bigger. We use job evaluation to address equal pay; however, it can still be the case that there is a gender pay gap due to our employee profile.

Council Workforce Data

As part of the Equality Act, we are required under the public sector equality duty to show how we are meeting our responsibilities as an employer, including a requirement to publish information regarding our workforce.

Our workforce information for all council employees (excluding Local Authority maintained schools) is published in Appendix 1 to this report. The workforce data is a snapshot of employee headcount (not posts) taken on 31 March 2022.

We do not include employees working in local authority maintained schools in this workforce data, as there are separate arrangements for schools publishing information under the specific duties of the Equality Act 2010.

We recognise that our workforce diversity could be improved. We have included a comparison for 2023 data with the Gateshead population overall diversity, where known, from Census 2021 published data. Implementing our Workforce Strategy and our developing Workforce EDI strategy will help us to improve the diversity of our employees.

We recognise that we have an ageing workforce with actions being implemented to support succession planning and issues relating to this employee profile. These include a range of services developing apprenticeship programmes and trainee roles.

A comprehensive review of the Council's approach to our employee experience is underway with positive changes being implemented across the employee lifecycle, in line with the five-year plan. Some of the work completed so far includes, but is not limited to; Apprentice awards, Leadership keeping in touch sessions, creation and rollout of the Smart Working Framework, launch of the cost free employee benefits platform - VIVUP, the development of a policy review schedule to update current key people policies and develop new ones, a new modern approach to the layout of job descriptions, the launch of the new learning system - Learning Hub, changes to safety culture and skills gap and multi-skilling framework, the opening of the new learning venue - Kingsmeadow, changes to low pay, corporate induction refresh and the jobs fair at the Gateshead International Stadium.

Learning, development and progression

Workforce development training delivered

Health and Wellbeing

Our workforce strategy sets out our commitment to employee health and wellbeing. We have worked in partnership with Public Health to identify ways in which health, health inequalities and wellbeing are considered for the people we employ and the community we serve.

We have recently launched our new benefits platform 'VIVUP' which also provides access to tips and guidance for personal wellbeing and financial wellbeing.

As we move through 2023 and into 2024 we will be developing our employee health and wellbeing strategy and action plan which will underpin the Council's Health and Wellbeing Strategy so our workforce can Thrive and so help our community to Thrive.

(Source: Census 2021, ONS)

(Source: Census 2021, ONS)

(Source: Census 2021, ONS)

(Source: Census 2021, ONS)

(Source: Activities limited -Census 2021, ONS / EA Core or work limiting disabled - Annual Population survey July 2022, ONS))

(Source: Census 2021, ONS)