Cabinet updated on performance of Strategic Equality Plan

Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet have been updated on the performance of the local authority’s Strategic Equality Plan (SEP).

SEP aims to identify the council’s equality objectives and the publication of an annual report sets out the steps taken to identify and collect relevant information, allowing the local authority to monitor and review progress.

This year’s report, which covers the period 1 April 2020-31 March 2021 highlights a number of plans and events which contributed towards the council’s equality objectives.

Among the highlights are ongoing works to promote the Disability Confident scheme, the delivery of two LGBT courses, the development of a Health and Wellbeing protocol and the delivery of several courses in conjunction with Valley Steps and Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF).

Other highlights include the delivery of Far-Right Extremism Awareness and Counter Narrative Training, work with other local authorities to promote LGBTQ+ history month and face to face engagement with Bridgend Community Cohesion and Equality Forum, as well as ongoing social media campaigns across a wide variety of equality and Welsh language topics.

I would like to thank the teams involved for what they have achieved despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

One statistic I would like to highlight from the report is the number of women that we as a council employ. I am very happy that we are a female-friendly employer.

I am also pleased with the progress we have made towards supporting the Welsh language where we can across the county borough.

Councillor Dhanisha Patel, Cabinet Member for Wellbeing and Future Generations, and Equalities Champion