Equality


Progress on closing the learning gap has stalled, report warns 26/08/2020 The attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers in primary schools has increased for the first time since 2017, new figures have shown.
Waste incinerators more likely to be built in deprived areas, research uncovers 03/08/2020 Waste incinerators are three times more likely to be built in poorer areas than in the UK’s richest areas, an investigation has revealed.
Progress on ethnic diversity at leadership level has stalled, report finds 28/07/2020 Ethnic diversity in public sector leadership roles has failed to improve over the past three years, a new report has warned today.
Voter ID plans will have a disproportionate impact on BME people, campaigners warn 23/06/2020 Mandatory voter ID plans could bring ‘US-style voter suppression to the UK’, anti-racist and BME organisations have warned today.
Children 'cut adrift' due to four-year rise in poverty, campaigners warn 20/05/2020 Child poverty is ‘rising rapidly’ in Britain’s poorest communities, a report has warned today.
Think tank warns of growing educational gap during lockdown 18/05/2020 Children from better-off families are spending more time on educational activities than those from the poorest households, a think tank has found.
Two councils join forces to address health inequalities 06/05/2020 Two councils have joined together to tackle health inequalities affecting Black African and Caribbean communities.
Migrant women left unsupported during crisis, report warns 05/05/2020 Migrant women are at risk of being left without support during the Covid-19 crisis due to ‘hostile’ immigration rules, a new report has warned.
Deprived areas see twice as many deaths from Covid-19 01/05/2020 The most deprived areas have experienced twice as many deaths from Covid-19 than the least deprived, new figures show.
Life expectancy stalls for the first time in a century 25/02/2020 Life expectancy has stopped improving for the first time in more than 100 years, and has actually declined for England’s poorest women, according to a new study.
Government fails to 'break the grip of poverty' 07/02/2020 Poverty has risen for children and pensioners in the past five years despite efforts to ‘level up’ Britain, new research has revealed.
Newcastle first council to be named UK’s most LGBT inclusive employer 30/01/2020 Newcastle City Council has become the first local authority to claim the top spot of Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers list.
Report calls for end of 'age apartheid' 07/01/2020 Radical action is needed to create ‘a country for all ages’ by 2030, according to a report published today.
Parish councillors call for childcare support 23/12/2019 Local councillors have urged the new Government to reform rules which prevent them from being able to claim childcare costs.
‘Horrifying’ lack of support for vulnerable men 18/11/2019 Only three councils are providing accommodation for male victims of domestic violence, a new investigation has revealed.
Tackling race inequality 06/11/2019 As Bristol approaches the first anniversary of its Equality Charter, Cllr Asher Craig says the city has forged ahead with initiatives to begin delivering real change to BAME communities.
Men dominate top table at combined authorities, research warns 04/11/2019 Only one in five with a vote at the top table in combined authorities are women, new research has found.
Tackle racial inequalities to promote growth in the North, think tanks says 16/08/2019 A new policy briefing has called for racial inequalities to be tackled as part of an inclusive economic growth agenda for the North.
Majority of top 1% of earners in South East, study reveals 06/08/2019 More than half of the top 1% of earners in this country live in London and the South East, new research has revealed.
Education disadvantage gap has ‘stopped closing’, think tank reveals 30/07/2019 Poorer pupils in the North are struggling to keep up with their peers, an education think tank reveals, as research shows the education disadvantage gap has stopped closing.
Homeless people denied access to healthcare, study finds 17/07/2019 Homeless people are being denied access to basic healthcare, a new study has revealed.
Councils still dominated by male politicans, says Fawcett Society 02/07/2019 Women’s representation in local government is ‘at a standstill’ according to the Fawcett Society.
Regional inequality and later life 18/06/2019 Amy McSweeney explains why action is needed to tackle the regional economic imbalance.
MPs to investigate UK's regional imbalances 14/06/2019 A new inquiry into regional imbalances in the UK economy has been launched by the Treasury Committee.
A crackdown on sexism is the first step towards equality 14/06/2019 For a senior woman in local government to be subjected to comments about her 'good breeding hips' is appalling, says Heather Jameson - and 'let's not even get started on BAME representation'.
Two councils given funding to help women back to work 13/06/2019 Seven successful projects to be given funding to help support women and carers back return to work have been named.
Some schools 'discouraging' admission of special needs children 11/06/2019 Children with special needs are being discouraged from attending some primary schools, education experts have warned.
National strategy to tackle inequalities in Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities 07/06/2019 Communities minister Lord Bourne has launched a national strategy to tackle inequality and improve the lives of gypsy, roma and traveller communities.
Helping to tackle bullying and harassment 28/05/2019 Sylvia Sage outlines how councils can tackle inappropriate behaviour in the workplace.
Campaigners question validity of survey on transgender rights 23/05/2019 Women's campaigners have questioned a survey by the City of London on transgender rights after nearly half the respondents were excluded from the results.
Council elections: Warning over lack of progress on female representation 02/05/2019 Only 34% of all candidates running in today’s local elections are women, new research has revealed today.
Peers call for a rebalancing of policies ‘in favour of the young’ 25/04/2019 House of Lords committee has recommended ending free TV licences for over-75s, lowering the age for free bus passes and scrapping the triple-lock on pensions.
Scottish councils ‘lack diversity’, report reveals 11/03/2019 Women and ethnic minorities are underrepresented at the local level in Scotland and many face harassment, an equalities study has revealed.
Black Londoners ‘under-represented in local government’ 05/03/2019 Black people are still under-represented in London's local councils, a new study has revealed.
Brokenshire gets Brexit breakdown from chiefs 31/01/2019 Chief executives have told communities secretary James Brokenshire Whitehall needs to be more joined up between departments and in its communications with councils over Brexit.
Holyrood urged to promote gender equality in education 25/01/2019 The Scottish government is being urged to establish a new commission to promote equality for girls and women in education.
Newcastle named best council for LGBT staff 21/01/2019 Newcastle City Council is the best local authority for LGBT staff inclusion, according to Stonewall’s Top 100 Employers 2018.
Glasgow CC offers ‘olive branch’ in equal pay row 25/10/2018 Talks were taking place today in a bid to settle the equal pay row that led to a two-day strike by more than 8,000 women in Glasgow this week.
Council staff to strike over equal pay claims 22/10/2018 Thousands of women at one of the UK's biggest councils are set to walk out on strike for two days this week over equal pay.
Damning report on leadership diversity 11/10/2018 ‘Little progress’ is being made in increasing the diversity of senior leadership in local authorities, a report published today has found.
Council chiefs to launch campaign to recruit female councillors 12/09/2018 Local government leaders are set to launch a campaign to recruit more women as councillors.
Overcoming the gender gap in local government 12/09/2018 The decision by the Local Government Association to launch a campaign to recruit women councillors is a timely move.
Local government still male dominated, analysis reveals 10/09/2018 There has been 'virtually no progress' in women's representation in local government with nearly all councils being dominated by men, a damning new report has revealed.
Appointment panels hold unconscious bias 23/08/2018 Ian Thomas demands proportionate positive action to increase diversity in leadership positions.
Council facing £5m equal pay bill 26/06/2018 Fife Council has been warned it could face a £5m bill from a new round of equal pay claims.
Data on racial inequalities ‘inconsistent’, MPs say 11/06/2018 The collection of data regarding racial inequalities in public services is ‘inconsistent’, MPs have found.
Gender pay gap: what next for councils? 05/06/2018 Mark Whitehead finds out why two London councils have signed up to a new scheme to help women climb the career ladder.
Disabled people 'trapped' in unsuitable homes 11/05/2018 The equality commission has called for a national strategy to ensure disabled people have access to suitable housing as survey reveals only 7% of England’s housing stock meets minimum standards.
Funding for new peer reviews of children's services 01/05/2018 The Government has announced a £8.5m programme to help councils work together to improve outcomes for disadvantaged children.
Whitehall defends voter ID reform against accusations of ‘discrimination’ 23/04/2018 The Government has defended its plans to require voters to produce ID when voting after watchdog warned reform may discriminate against ethnic minorities.
Inequality holding back growth potential of places warns report 19/04/2018 Inequality is holding back the full growth potential of places, according to the results of the annual Vibrant Economy Index.
Projects training women to be community leaders awarded £600,000 11/04/2018 Over £600,000 has been awarded by the Government to eight schemes, including projects that train women to become leaders in their communities.
Gender pay gap data - treat with caution 10/04/2018 Mark Whitehead explains why the new gender pay gap figures reveal a somewhat more mixed picture of what is actually going on.
Political parties must report ‘gender gap’, campaigners say 05/04/2018 Campaigners are calling on the Government to enact legislation to force political parties to report their 'gender gap' when it comes to election candidates.
The gender pay gap: local government's national perspective 05/04/2018 Why do some councils have a gender pay gap and how are they going to address it? Mark Whitehead investigates.
Councils praised for narrowing the gender pay gap 04/04/2018 Local government leaders have pointed to the high proportion of women in in lower-paid part-time jobs as the main reason for the differences in average rates compared to men.
Early figures suggest men earn 6% more than women in local government 28/03/2018 Men in local government earn on average 6% per hour more than women according to the latest data being collected by the Government.
Children should be at ‘the heart’ of the Northern Powerhouse, commissioner says 26/03/2018 Children should be placed at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse, commissioner says as report reveals wide inequalities between children depending on where they are born.
Building a future: women in construction 26/03/2018 Women working in the construction industry are very much in the minority, but they could be a valuable source of much-needed skills. Mark Whitehead attended a round table discussion focusing on the issue and considering some solutions.
PM announces £90m to address ethnic inequalities in youth unemployment 19/03/2018 The prime minister today announced a £90m programme to address ethnic disparities in youth unemployment in the wake of the Government’s study of inequality within public services.
Research highlights lack of male staff in council nurseries 15/03/2018 New figures have revealed that only 5% of staff in the Early Years sector are male, leading to calls to 'widen the talent pool'.
North Ayrshire settles 500 equal pay claims 06/03/2018 North Ayrshire Council has settled hundreds of outstanding equal pay claims after months of delay.
A benchmark for website accessibility 20/02/2018 Bryn Anderson explains why all council websites and apps must meet minimum accessibility standards from this September.
Key factors for making local area ‘thrive’ revealed 19/02/2018 A Bristol-based charity launched a new report today into the key factors that make up a ‘thriving’ local area - and it goes beyond a narrow focus on gross domestic product.
Council faces legal action over outstanding equal pay awards 13/02/2018 Fife Council is facing fresh legal proceedings over the non-payment of equal pay awards, a trade union has warned.
LGBT - Routes to inclusion in local authorities 06/02/2018 How did Newcastle become the best council for LGBT staff to work for? Mark Whitehead finds out more.
Report calls for investment in education and skills to boost Northern Powerhouse 01/02/2018 A new report has called for a £300m increase in Government funding for disadvantaged areas across the North to ensure every child is school ready by the age of five.
Newcastle named best council for LGBT staff 01/02/2018 Newcastle City Council is the best council for LGBT employees to work for, according to the latest results of Stonewall’s annual review.
Council to review policy of charging disabled people £3,300 to park near home 25/01/2018 Cornwall Council has confirmed it will ‘urgently review’ its policy to charge people with disabilities over £3,000 for disabled parking spaces near their homes.
Centenary of women’s suffrage should see push for gender equality, campaigners say 17/01/2018 The centenary of women’s suffrage will be a ‘missed opportunity’ unless barriers to political participation are removed, say campaigners.
Ethnic minorities ‘under-represented’ in public sector leadership roles, PM says 10/10/2017 Ethnic minorities are under-represented at senior levels across the public sector, a fact the Prime Minister says society needs to ‘explain or change’.
CEOs at top unitary authorities are 100% white, research reveals 05/10/2017 Not a single CEO at the top 50 unitary authorities comes from a Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) background, new research has revealed today.
Local government is too white 28/09/2017 The lack of non-white chief executives and senior managers in local government is embarrassing. Atif Shafique calls for radical action to redress the balance.
All-male Liverpool City Region cabinet told to nominate a woman 11/09/2017 A group of civil society leaders have come together to demand the all-male Liverpool City Region (LCR) cabinet includes one woman among their number.
Gov 'lacks ambition' in tackling gender inequality in councils 08/09/2017 Whitehall has been accused of a ‘complete lack of ambition’ after it rejected calls to ensure 45% of local government candidates are female through the use of fines and new laws.
Muslims face ‘greatest economic disadvantages’ of any faith group, report finds 07/09/2017 Muslims experience the greatest economic disadvantages of any faith group in UK society, a social mobility commission report warns.
A third of equal pay claims still not settled by Scottish councils 07/09/2017 Councils in Scotland have spent £750m settling equal pay claims since 2004, with 27,000 claims still outstanding, a public spending watchdog has revealed.
Disabilities in a time of austerity 06/09/2017 Are councils really complicit in the humans rights violation of disabled people? William Eichler investigates.
Thousands of council staff in Glasgow win equal pay ruling 22/08/2017 Glasgow City Council will look into making payments to potentially thousands of women workers after a court ruling suggested that the council might have been paying them less than their male colleagues.
New reforms to help sight impaired people to vote 21/08/2017 Local authorities will now be allowed to use records to help ensure people with a vision impairment receive accessible voting information.
Local government reforms undermined by ‘depressing’ lack of female representation, report finds 21/08/2017 Council chiefs say progress in achieving gender balance in local government should be made at a ‘faster pace’ after think tank warns of a lack of women in top jobs.
Report reveals rise in premature deaths among Northern young adults 08/08/2017 A new report has revealed an ‘alarming rise’ in the number of people dying before their time in the North.
Report warns of living standard gaps among ethnic groups 07/08/2017 Large gaps in living standards still exist between various ethnic groups in Britain, a think tank has warned.
Local government ‘going backwards’ on equality, report reveals 13/07/2017 Local government is ‘not fit for the future’ due to outdated practices and attitudes that hold back gender equality, shocking new report reveals.
Help to Buy benefits ‘better-off' buyers, report says 03/07/2017 Many of the Government’s flagship schemes to help first-time buyers onto the housing ladder are most likely to benefit better-off buyers, commission says.
Young people ‘pessimistic’ about social mobility 16/06/2017 More than half of young people believe social background dictates how you get on in life, according to the results of a new survey.
Glasgow CC faces accusations of discrimination in equal pay case 31/05/2017 Thousands of low paid women are set to make equal pay claims against Glasgow City Council after winning a court victory.
Lib Dems call for mandatory reporting on ethnicity pay gap 10/05/2017 The Liberal Democrats have announced plans to introduce mandatory reporting on the ethnicity pay gap for organisations with 250 employees or more if elected.
Sexism is ‘commonplace’ in local government finds research 26/04/2017 Nearly four in ten female councillors have experienced sexist comments from council colleagues, with 10% being victims of sexual harassment, a new report has revealed.
Combined authorities risk being 'preserve of men' finds report 18/04/2017 Nearly all (93%) of senior positions in the new combined authorities will be appointed to white men, new research has revealed.
Council adopts gender neutral terminology for job titles 10/04/2017 An Essex council has agreed to abolish the word ‘man’ from important job titles in a bid to tackle gender inequality.
Councils to be required to publish gender pay gap figures 06/04/2017 The Government yesterday announced that all employers with 250 or more employees will be required to publish their gender pay gap figures.
Thousands of schools ‘segregated’, charity says 23/03/2017 Thousands of schools across England are segregated along ethnic and socio-economic lines, research reveals.
The danger of digital exclusion 22/03/2017 Phil Brunkard reports from the recent 'Smart Essex' event, examining how services can move online without leaving anyone behind.
Report highlights lack of diversity in top council jobs 08/03/2017 Only 9% of council leaders and 14% of local authority chief executives in Wales are female, a new report has found.
Charity warns deprivation linked to high suicide rates 07/03/2017 Council staff should be trained in suicide prevention a charity has argued, after a new report revealed inequalities are increasing the risk of people taking their own lives.
Senior councilor resigns following hijab row 03/03/2017 A council equality chief has stepped down from his role after being criticised for claiming a school had contravened the Equalities Act by banning pupils from wearing hijab headscarves.
Poor pupils falling behind affluent peers in secondary school, research reveals 27/02/2017 Progress made by poor pupils in primary school is ‘all but wiped out’ at the secondary level, new research into social mobility reveals.
Closing the gender pay gap 24/01/2017 With the recent warning it could take 170 years to close the gender pay gap, what can councils do to tackle this inequality? Jawaid Rehman reports.
Sandwell backs ‘fairer’ pension motion for women born in the 1950s 20/01/2017 Sandwell councillors have backed a motion calling for a fairer deal for women born in the 1950s who have been affected by an increase in the state pension age.

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