U.K. HOUSING

U.K. Housing

U.K. Housing

The Council's Comprehensive Equality Policy (2007) fully embraces the commitments made in the Community Plan by placing equality of opportunity as central to the Council's objectives and values. The Council's Housing Strategy Statement 2006-09 demonstrates the central role that housing services play in meeting these overriding principles. The major strategic housing objective: “To ensure the provision of well-managed, decent affordable housing” can only be sustained by the continuous development of an organisational culture that values people from all sections of society and the contribution that each individual can make and provides services that promote these principles for the benefit of the community itself. By creating an environment where everyone is respected, valued and able to use and develop all of their skills and talents, the Housing Service will be ensuring that it will be able to achieve strategic and operational objectives within an evolving equality and diversity agenda.

Section One - Why is Equality and Diversity Important?

Those dimensions of equality and diversity that most readily come to mind include race, gender, ability and sexuality though people also differ according to class, income levels, age, lifestyle, the kinds of relationship they form and the types of households they live in. Valuing equality and diversity means being sensitive to all these differences when needs are assessed, people are consulted, services are provided and the way that organisations are managed. It is about fairness and increasing organisational performance.

Valuing equality and diversity includes:

Recognising and respecting differences

Striving to achieve equality of opportunity for an increasingly diverse customer and employee group

Providing appropriate services that match differing needs and preferences

Why does Equality and Diversity make good business sense?

As well as the moral responsibility to work towards a just and tolerant society, equality and diversity makes good business sense by:

Understanding the customer to drive forward review and reform

Developing new products and services to meet community needs

Ensuring continued demand for existing products and services

Why is Equality and Diversity important to Southend-on-Sea?

The Council's Housing Service has a key role to provide relevant and accessible services that meet the needs of the Borough's diverse communities. High standards of equality and diversity will be maintained by ensuring that every resident:

Has the right to receive appropriate accessible services (including those provided by the Council's contractors) that are free from direct or indirect discrimination, harassment and victimisation

Has the right to be treated with respect and provided with accurate and up to date information about the Housing Service

Should not feel excluded to access services because of their age, disability, ethnic background, faith, gender, health, language, social and economic background or sexuality

Section Two -What Standards of Performance are Expected to be Met?

Legal and regulatory frameworks set out the standards of performance that must be met in achieving equality and diversity. The main areas are set out below:

Indirect Legislation

There is also a wide range of legislation that is not directly concerned with equality and diversity but contains requirements that ensure equality of opportunity within their ...