Equality Framework for Local Government

Our Journey Towards Mainstreaming Equalities and Diversity

Over recent years, Equality and Diversity at Havering has seen strong support from the top down. Our Diversity Steering Group (DSG) of senior managers and Members meet quarterly to provide leadership in equalities, and underneath this, our Diversity Management Group (DMG) of Heads of Services meet every six weeks to manage implementation of our equalities priorities. This is supported by four Equality and Diversity groups sitting within each of our four directorates. The Equality and Diversity groups have been pivotal in pushing forward the "fairness" agenda at every level in the organisation and this is reflected in the Key Outcomes of each directorate some of which are further highlighted in the case studies which form a part of this submission.

We have also established the Voluntary, Community and Faith Sector theme group within the Havering Strategic Partnership (HSP) so as to ensure that the Equalities and Diversity agenda permeates our partnership approach to service provision.

This structure has enabled Equality and Diversity principles and activities to be cascaded both upwards and downwards between directorate, corporate and partnership levels, from officers to Chief Executive and members and vice versa.

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