DD2709 Equality Diversity Inclusion Implementation 2024-25

1.1.    The Equalities team plays an important role in advancing equality at the GLA and for Londoners more broadly. External-facing programmes and projects are aimed at making sure all Londoners, irrespective of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, class or background, get the same shot at fulfilling their potential. 
1.2.    The Building a Fairer City (BFC) action plan was published by the London Partnership Board (LPB) in May 2022. It is designed to address structural inequalities in London that were evident and exacerbated within the pandemic, as well as additional inequalities exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis. In Year 1 (2023-24), delivery partner Shared Intelligence (DD2593) developed and delivered an initial programme of support to assist partners across sectors to translate the BFC plan actions into meaningful objectives to tackle structural inequality.
1.3.    BFC Year 2 (2024-25) builds on this work by taking a more focused approach on a smaller set of actions which relate to labour market inequality, financial hardship, equity in public services and civil society strength. BFC Year 2 also benefits from a refreshed and more targeted advocacy and communication strategy.
1.4.    Director Decision (DD2691) already approved a total spend of £72,765 from the EDI Implementation Budget across two years: £20,000 (2023-24) and £52,765 (2024-25), for an externally commissioned partner (Shared Intelligence) to deliver a targeted programme of learning, challenge sessions and good-practice site visits for Year 2. 
1.5.    The Mayor’s Annual Equality Report is published each year to set out the progress made towards fulfilling the GLA’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion objectives. The report needs to be accessible for all Londoners and requires a British Sign Language version and an Easy Read version in to meet GLA good practice standards.
1.6.    This expenditure will also allow the Equalities team to continue engaging with the voices of Londoners experiencing the sharpest end of inequality, ensuring their perspectives shape policy and programme development and implementation at the GLA, through our vital stakeholder forums. The EDI Advisory Group, Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPO) forum, the Race Equality Roundtables and the LGBTQI+ forum present key opportunities to en sure that Londoners experiencing inequality play valuable role in shaping GLA policies and programmes. 
1.7.    To ensure that the forums are accessible and inclusively run for our stakeholders requires British Sign Language translators where appropriate. The forums also require that participants be remunerated for their time. 
1.8.    The Equalities team leads on supporting GLA colleagues to complete Equality Impact Assessments (EQiAs) as part of the GLA’s fulfilment of the Public Sector Equality Duty. The budget will allow the team to develop new training and development materials to provide more effective support to colleagues on how to complete effective EQiAs. This is in line with the GLA’s strategic prioritisation of EQiAs as vital to the running of an equitable public sector organisation. 
1.9.    The Equalities team will also deliver equalities related events which align with Mayoral priorities.
 

2.1.    BFC Year 2 is focused on a more granular approach based on feedback from the London Partnership Board from Year 1. For Year 2, we are working across a smaller number of actions within the four themes where the GLA can add some real value in terms of its positioning and soft power, as well as existing work: labour market inequality, financial hardship, equity in public services and civil society strength.
2.2.    BFC Year 2 will engage with a targeted range of sectors and stakeholders to pursue change. This includes goals such as increasing Living Wage Accreditation in London through a hyper-local approach; supporting more Londoners to access their rights and entitlements; and supporting London’s public sector organisations to embed the Equality Impact Assessment (sharing any GLA good practice where relevant) around the Public Sector Equality Duty.
2.3.    The stakeholder forums will feed directly into policy development at the GLA on issues that are pertinent for community groups, for GLA Group Bodies (e.g. TfL) and where the GLA has tangible levers (policing, transport and housing). This includes feeding into the Policing and Crime Plan.

2.4.    The aim of improving and amplifying the GLA’s guidance and training around the equality impact assessment is to improve the completion rates and quality of completions, which is a strategic priority for the organisation. The purpose of the guidance and training is to give teams at the GLA greater understanding of the process relating to completion of EQiAs. It is also to provide them with greater awareness of how to apply structural understandings of inequality to their policies and programmes. 
2.5.    The Equalities team will hold events which promote and showcase Mayoral work to address inequalities and the needs of London’s diverse communities in the coming year. 
 

3.1.    Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have due regard to:
•    eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act
•    to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not.
3.2.    Protected characteristics under the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage or civil partnership status.
3.3.    Under section 33 of the GLA Act 1992 the GLA is also required to have in place arrangements to ensure that due regard has been had to equality of opportunity for all people in the exercise of the Mayor’s general powers, as well as in the formulation and/or implementation of the statutory strategies he must publish under section 41 of that Act.
3.4.    Building a Fairer City Action Plan seeks to advance equality of opportunity for Londoners who have been at the sharp end of both the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living-crisis. In focusing on issues such as labour market inequality, financial hardship and equity in public services – BFC is precisely aimed at improving opportunity for groups most likely impacted by inequality like Black, Asian and minoritised Londoners, deaf and disabled Londoners, LGBTQ+ Londoners, Older Londoners and women and girls. 
3.5.    The work to improve completion rates and quality of the equality impact assessments through updated guidance and training should also benefit Londoners who experience inequality in relation to their protected characteristics. The EQiA process allows public sector organisations to understand the impact of their decisions, plans and programmes on specific groups. Our proposed work on improving learning around EQiAs for GLA colleagues and through BFC will play a role in ensuring public sector organisations in London are approaching this work consistently and effectively.
 

Risks

4.1.    A governance process is in place for Building a Fairer City, overseen by the London Partnership Board (LPB) Structural Inequalities Subgroup. This LPB sub-group chaired by Kim Wright, Chief Executive Officer of the London Borough of Brent, with a secretariat function provided by the GLA. The LPB is also regularly updated on progress.
4.2.    The approval sought is also in line with the Mayor’s priorities for London outlined in the 2024 manifesto to make London a fairer, safer and greener city for all Londoners. 
4.3.    There are no conflicts of interest to note for anyone involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form.
 

5.1.    This Director’s Decision (DD) seeks approval for the expenditure of £47,235 taking the total to £100,000 from the Equalities Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Implementation budget in 2024-25 financial year allowing the Equalities team to deliver its programme of work reducing inequalities in London. The budget delivers the ‘Building a Fairer City’ action plan. It allows the Equalities team to continue playing a lead role in helping the GLA in fulfilling the Public Sector Equality Duty.
5.2.    DD2691 already approved spend of £52,765 in 2024-25 financial year from the EDI Implementation Budget.
5.3.    The expenditure of £47,235 in 2024-25 financial year is affordable within the confirmed 2024-25 EDI implementation budget. 
 

6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the director concern the exercise of the Authority’s general powers and fall within the Authority’s statutory power to do such things considered to further or which are facilitative of, conducive or incidental to the promotion of social development in Greater London and in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought officers have complied with the Authority’s related statutory duties to:
•    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
•    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
•    consult with appropriate bodies.    
6.2.    In taking the decisions requested, the director must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty; namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010, and to advance equality of opportunity between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation) and persons who do not share it and foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the director should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.
6.3.    The decision seeks approval for expenditure of £47,235 for various equalities-related projects.  Officers are reminded to comply with the requirements of the Contracts and Funding Code, when they procure services or supplies in furtherance of the projects or award grant funding.  Furthermore, officers are reminded to put in place appropriate contracts and grant agreements between the GLA and the relevant service providers and/or recipients.
 

7.1.    Approval is being sought for expenditure of £47,235, to be spent in 2024-25. This spending is outlined in section 1 (introduction and background) and section 2 (objectives and outcomes).     
7.2.    Expenditure approved by Decision Document DD2691 for Building a Fairer City Year 2 is outlined in the milestone and deliverable table below.
Shared Intelligence Milestone and deliverable timetable