Equality Report for 2012
Working with the Community
One of the advantages of being a small
authority is that we know our community on a more personal level
than some of the larger authorities do, so while the use of data
has its place, asking people what affects them on a face to face
basis has real benefits.
In the following section are some examples of
how we work with the local community, especially groups protected
by the Equality Act and how we utilise data we hold to compliment
this work.
- After listening to feedback from Customer Service staff we were
able to ascertain that there was a need for Eastern European
languages including Roma, so a member of staff was recruited who
has skills in several of these languages. None of the local overall
population statistics had highlighted this need, however
national insurance statistics do back up our findings and show that
the working population of foreign nationals in Dover is also
predominantly Eastern European. An extract of these statistics can
be found here – working
population of foreign nationals. This service has proved very
popular as demonstrated on the breakdown of
service usage for the quarter November 2011 to January
2012.
- A group representing people with disabilities complained to the
council about the lack of changing facilities at a local paddling
pool with wheelchair access. Although available funding is minimal,
we are working with the group to try and access funding and install
something suitable. We also now contact this group on a
consultative basis about other issues.The 2001 census showed that
20% of Dover’s population considered themselves to have a
disability or limiting long term illness and this figure is now
expected to have increased - local overall
population statistics. With this in mind, Vista Leisure,
who run the local leisure facilities in partnership with us, have
put in new personal care suite at Dover Leisure Centre for people
with disabilities, including those with profound and multiple
learning disabilities and their carers.
- Changes were made to our new reception area here at Whitfield,
following a visit from one of the local Disability Forums. They
gave some real practical advice on what worked best for them.
- Through partnership work we established and opened the Gateway
in Dover. This facility provides increased services for residents
including a whole range of voluntary and community support
services.
- Partnership work is underway across the four East Kent
authorities to look at issues for Eastern European nationals and
how best to discharge the public sector duty. This work is being
co-ordinated by the South East Strategic Partnership for Migration
who has an office within the Council Offices at Whitfield.
- Local development framework -
The Local Development framework can be found on the
website together with all the relevant supporting data:-
- Current population trends not only indicate that the local
population is going to age rapidly but also that the overall
population will decline. The number of children and people of
working age is expected to reduce to such an extent that they will
not be able to sustain the local economy.
Page 26 of DDC’s Core Strategy lists the main drivers
for change in the district and one of these is the ageing
population, this goes on to explain that the forecast ageing of the
local population will put pressure on economic growth and increase
the need for support services for the elderly. If the economy is to
be supported by a sufficient local workforce, population growth
will be required. The District's objectives therefore also include
encouraging population growth, particularly in working age families
to support growth in the local economy
(page 29 of DDC’s Core Strategy).
- DDC is part of a Community Safety Partnership in which the
police and other agencies work closely together with DDC to ensure
that Dover remains one of the safest places in the county. The
partnership acknowledges the opportunities and difficulties posed
by the diversity of population within the District and works hard
within the minority ethnic and indigenous community to aid
integration. Diversity is seen as part of the core business of all
partners comprising the Dover District Community Safety
Partnership. Further information on the partnership, including
their plan for 2011-14 can be found here Dover District Community Safety
Partnership
- The Community Safety Partnership launched the Lanyard Project
(Operation Wave) a couple of years ago and this continues
today. This initiative followed a spate of purse thefts /
losses in Dover. Lanyards which secured a purse inside a
handbag were given out to residents in the District, initially to
the elderly and vulnerable as they were thought most likely to be
targets of this type of theft. However they have proved
extremely popular with everyone. They were also handed out to
charity shops and hairdressers for distribution. Further details
can be found under the News Page “Lanyards
handed out”.
- In April 2011, the four councils of Dover,
Canterbury, Shepway and Thanet set up East Kent Housing
to manage and help improve housing services. They are reporting on
their own Equality and diversity work and this can be found on
their website here -
East Kent Housing Equality and Diversity.
- A vast amount of data about the district was collected during
the preparation of the Local Development Framework and
that can be found here
Local Development Framework Data.
Staff
We are a small local authority with
approximately 250 employees. We also share some services with other
East Kent authorities such as Customer Services, IT, Council Tax,
Benefits, Audit, HR and Housing.
A job evaluation exercise was conducted in
2009/10 ensuring equal pay across all job grades. Equality impact
assessments were carried out in conjunction with staff and unions
on the job evaluation scheme and these have also been carried out
on our new shared service employment policies.
During the development of the shared service
programme we are installing new HR systems which will provide up to
date information on the diversity of our staff. Meanwhile, we have
undertaken a staff census to provide a snapshot view of our
employees. This was sent to all staff, but was not compulsory so
the results provided below are only representative of those who
chose to answer.
All of our Staff have had Equality and
Diversity Training and the evaluation report following this
training can be found here – Evaluation
Report.
| Section |
|
Dover District
Council |
Shared services |
Local Population
(Source Office for
National Statistics) |
| Response Rate |
|
42% |
45% |
|
| Age |
19 – 24 |
0% |
4.20% |
10.40% |
| |
25 – 40 |
32.4% |
41.70% |
10.40% |
| |
41 – 55 |
44.3% |
44.20% |
29.40% |
| |
56 - 65 |
23.8% |
10% |
17.10% |
| Gender |
|
29.2% Male |
32.5% Male |
48.3% Male |
| |
|
69.8% Female |
65% Female |
51.7% Female |
| Disability |
|
8%
Evenly split between
male and female
|
5.80%
Of these
14% were male
and 86% female
|
19.70% |
| Religion |
Christian |
56.6% |
63.30% |
76.10% |
| |
No Religion |
37.7% |
30% |
14.35% |
| |
Hindu |
0% |
0.80% |
0.15% |
| |
Sikh |
0% |
0.80% |
0.04% |
| |
Jewish |
0% |
0% |
0.07% |
| |
Muslim |
0.9% |
0% |
0.29% |
| |
Other |
2.8% |
4.10% |
8.67% |
| Sexual orientation |
Heterosexual |
92.5% |
93.30% |
97% |
| |
Bi-sexual |
0.9% |
0.80% |
|
| |
Gay men |
0.9% |
1.70% |
1.50% |
| |
Gay Woman |
0% |
0.80% |
1.50% |
| |
Preferred not to say |
4.7% |
4.80% |
|
| Ethnicity |
White British |
98.1% |
95.80% |
92.37% |
| |
European |
0% |
0.80% |
|
| |
Other White |
0% |
1.70% |
2.73% |
| |
Irish |
0.9% |
0% |
0.75% |
| |
Black |
0% |
0% |
1.04% |
| |
Asian |
0.9% |
1.70% |
1.32% |
| |
Mixed |
0% |
0% |
1.13% |
| |
Other |
0% |
0% |
0.66% |
Email: equalities@dover.gov.uk
Telephone: 01304 872317
