DD2691 Building a Fairer City action plan (implementation year two)

1.1.    The London Partnership Board (LPB) brings together London’s leaders to address London’s challenges, providing strategic advice to policy and decision-makers across the capital. The Board was established in March 2023. It evolved from the work of the London Recovery Board, established during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has worked to oversee key workstreams established by the London Recovery Board.

1.2.    In May 2022, LPB partners published ‘Building a Fairer City’ (BFC),  which sets out the actions that the LPB partners can take to address structural inequalities in London. To support the implementation of this programme, the GLA commissioned a learning delivery partner, Shared Intelligence, to design, deliver and facilitate a programme of learning support resources for partners of the programme; and provide additional expert input and support to partners as required. This approach reflects the LPB’s operating model of voluntary collaboration across sectors to address structural inequalities across London, as outlined within BFC.

1.3.    Director Decision (DD) 2593 previously secured approval expenditure of £100,000 for a set of activities to promote the Mayor’s priorities to create a fairer, more equal city. This included £60,000 that provided support for the development of an action plan for the LPB, to address structural inequalities. This was achieved by appointing a delivery partner, Shared Intelligence, to develop and deliver an initial programme of support to assist partners across sectors to translate the actions in the plan into meaningful objectives to tackle structural inequality. 

1.4.    BFC is a three-year programme focused on four priorities where change is needed most, as agreed in the BFC action plan following extended consultation with stakeholders. These are: living standards; equality in the labour market; equity in public services; and civil society strength. Organisations can take the actions contained in the plan as employers, service providers and influencers within their own sectors, to make targeted progress on entrenched inequalities affecting Londoners. 

1.5.    The GLA has committed to supporting implementation of the plan by providing a targeted programme of learning, challenge sessions and good-practice site visits. In this way, it can assist organisations in embedding work to tackle the structural inequalities outlined within the BFC action plan. This programme brings cross-sector partners together to accelerate the pace in addressing structural inequalities across London. As part of the learning offer, partners learn from each other about how they have tackled the inequalities discussed, with a goal of translating this learning to meaningful action within their own organisations and sectors. 

1.6.    This learning approach brings sectors together to share learning, discover new thinking, explore challenges, remove barriers/blockages, develop best practice, encourage collaboration and celebrate successes. Organisations are asked to report back annually on progress made against the plan’s 14 actions, through a self-assessment metrics framework developed as part of the programme. 

1.7.    Shared Intelligence developed a maturity model approach and worked with organisations to help them to reflect on their progress in individual or sectoral equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) performance. By completing the self-assessment exercise (or maturity map), organisations identified areas of strength and weakness in terms of EDI. The maturity model was used to agree the ‘next steps’ on their EDI journey; and to identify where greater support was required. 

1.8.    Each section of the action plan requires different professional expertise in order to deliver the right interventions to address the structural barriers discussed. The learning support offer is tailored accordingly and drawing upon the findings of the comprehensive Maturity Mapping exercise completed during year one. This process maps individual organisational or sectoral maturity on the journey to tackle structural inequality with learning offers to target the four priority areas: labour market inequalities; financial hardship and living standards; equity in public services; and civil society strength. Some partners, particularly large public-sector organisations, may be involved in all four areas, but others may participate in only one. The integrated learning support offer for each priority area during year one of the programme included:

•    expert/challenge events to expose an issue, share insights of ‘what works’ from sector representatives and deliver tangible action plans; his allows space for debate, but moves beyond the rhetoric
•    action-learning sets targeted at smaller groups: creating ‘safe space’ discussions among peers to tackle sensitive issues, and learning from what works and what could be done differently 
•    study tours to share learning from practical examples of approaches or schemes that work; this gives organisations first-hand experience of how to move from theory into delivery
•    resources, tools and information where written records of practical action, or good-practice case studies and wider resources, can have greater reach and help to drive action.

1.9    The GLA’s existing, three year contract with Shared Intelligence, dated 31 January 2023, was originally procured via an open and transparent tendering process conducted in accordance with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (the “Regulations”).  The original contract value was £90,000 per year; £270,000 over its three year term.

1.10    This decision seeks budgetary approval for the second year of that three-year contract and an attendant variation to reduce its scope in the second year.  The reduction of the scope of the contract in its second year will lead to a corresponding reduction in its cost from £90,000 to £72,625 in that year. This variation was not the result of an built-in option, rather it was achieved by commercial negotiation with Shared Intelligence. 

1.11    This is the first time this contract has been varied.  The cost of the contract may vary again in year three, depending on the GLA’s requirements.  The proposal to reduce the scope of the contract followed an internal assessment, which indicated that some aspects of the contract would be better delivered in-house, using the expertise, influence and London-wide networks already in place across the GLA. 
 

2.1.    Having successfully developed and rolled out the first year of the support programme, we intend to continue working with Shared Intelligence and build upon the year one delivery approach, acknowledging the four learning styles (expert/challenge events; action-learning sets; study tours; and any additional resources, tools and information).

2.2.    This helps to facilitate cross-collaboration between organisations in different sectors, to encourage improved learning and mobilisation to address inequalities.

2.3.    As with year one, partners will be supported to measure their progress against an agreed set of metrics and monitoring outputs, so that we can benchmark yearly progress and report back to the LPB annually. 

2.4.    A great deal has been achieved during year one, taking the action plan and translating that into a meaningful and engaging offer of support for our partners. In accordance with the original plan for this programme, year two will increase the breadth and scope of the programme to focus on: wider inequalities that year one did not have the capacity to meaningfully address; and the organisations or networks not yet engaged. In year one of the programme, support has largely focused on inequalities relating to race, disability and gender. This will continue into year two, with more intensive actions to move organisations closer to closing the inequality gap. Year two will also focus on LGBTQI+ and older Londoners. In particular, more effort will be dedicated to the interconnected and intersectional ways that discrimination affects Londoners.

2.5.    Some sectors, or groups of organisations, that have engaged so far may provide interesting perspectives on certain issues raised during year one. These include:

•    housing associations
•    higher education institutions
•    trade unions 
•    law centres
•    voluntary and community services.

2.6.    As we enter the second year of this three-year programme, we will continue to engage and develop our connections with GLA teams, the wider GLA Group, LPB members and a broad cross-section of London wide partners to address the changing social, political and economic contexts and adapt the learning support offer accordingly. This will help to further refine the second year of the programme, set a clear direction and reduce risk of duplication.
 

3.1    Under Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the GLA must have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any conduct that is prohibited by or under this Act; and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. 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 (the duty in respect of this last characteristic is to eliminate unlawful discrimination only).

3.2    Under section 33 of the GLA Act 1999  the GLA is 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.

3.3    The BFC is one of the tools that demonstrates how the GLA will meet these statutory obligations.

3.4    BFC, the LPB’s structural inequalities action plan for London,  responds to cross sectoral barriers  experienced by almost every protected group as defined  under the Equality Act 2010. It also addresses the needs of wider marginalised groups, including Londoners affected by socioeconomic inequality and those with caring responsibilities. The BFC plan aligns with ‘Inclusive London’, the Mayor of London’s EDI Strategy, and his ambitions to create a more equal and integrated city. It also responds to five vision statements setting out the needs of Black and minoritised Londoners; Deaf and disabled Londoners; LGBTQI+ Londoners; older Londoners; and women and girls. These vision statements were co-produced with communities across London, facilitated by community engagement partners and GLA staff.

3.5    The programme of support during year one focused on reducing systemic biases and structural inequalities across London. The focus of the programme is underpinned by feedback received as part of direct engagement with London communities. It is further refined by working with each organisation and assessing their approach to tackling structural inequality, using a Maturity Mapping model. This assessed where each organisation was on their journey to tackle structural inequality; and determined what additional support was needed to achieve change. 

3.6    We intend to continue engaging with, and directly involving, the engagement partners that the GLA worked with to develop the original vision statements, as well as wider organisations that represent the needs of London’s most structurally disadvantaged communities. These engagement partners represent the views of Black and minoritised Londoners; Deaf and disabled Londoners; LGBTQI+ Londoners; older Londoners; women and girls and more.

3.7    The action plan and vision statements are on the GLA’s Building a Fairer City webpage. 
 

Risks and issues 

4.1.    The key risks and issues are outlined in the table below: 

4.2.    A governance process is in place, overseen by the LPB Structural Inequalities Subgroup. This LPB sub-group chaired by Kim Wright, CEO of LB Brent, with a secretariat function provided by the GLA. The LPB is also regularly updated on progress.

4.3.    The approval sought is also in line with the Mayor’s priorities for London, in particular his ambition to create a fairer city, to tackle deprivation, inequality and discrimination, celebrating our rich diversity and rooting out health inequality.

4.4.    There are no conflicts of interest to note for anyone involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form. 
 

5.1.    Approval is sought for expenditure of £72,765 from the EDI Implementation budget to support the delivery of year two of the learning offer for BFC, the LPB structural inequalities action plan. 

5.2.    This expenditure will be split as follows; £20,000 to be funded from the 2023-24 EDI Implementation budget; and £52,765 from the 2024-25 EDI Implementation budget.

5.3.    There is sufficient funding in the 2023-24 EDI implementation budget to cover the expenditure of £20,000.

5.4.    Funding for future financial years will be subject to the annual budget-setting process and is subject to change. The expenditure of £52,765 from the EDI implementation programme budget in 2024-25 is assumed to be affordable and can only be confirmed when the budget is formally approved in February 2024.

5.5.    Any contracts that commit the GLA in future years are subject to appropriate break clauses.

5.6.    The award of funding to delivery partners will be subject to satisfactory due diligence.
 

6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that the decisions requested of the director concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers and fall within the GLA’s statutory power to do such things considered to further, or that are facilitative of, or conducive or incidental to, the promotion of social development in Greater London. In formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied with the GLA’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, and foster good relations, 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 (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.    Regulation 72(1)(f) of the Regulations provides that a contract may be modified during its term where the value of the modification is below both the threshold for the Regulations and ten percent of the contract value.  Officers have explained at paragraphs 1.9 to 1.11, above, that the contract value is £270,000.  Furthermore, the value of the variation is a reduction in the contract cost in the second year of the contract from £90,000 to £72,625.  In light of this, the variation falls within regulation 72(1)(f) of the Regulations.  Officers are reminded to put in place an appropriate, written variation of contract between the GLA and Shared Intelligence.