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Equality and Human Rights CommissionMinutes of the Forty Sixth Meeting of the Wales CommitteeWednesday 5 December 2018PresentJune Milligan (Chair) Alison Parken Faith WalkerGeraint HopkinsMartyn JonesNicola WilliamsRocio CifuentesSophie HoweEHRCRuth Coombs (Head of Wales)Melanie Field (Executive Director)Wayne Vincent (Principal, Wales)Melissa Moore (Associate, Wales)Item 1: Welcome and introductionsWC46/1.1The Chair welcomed members to the forty fourth meeting of the Wales Committee. Apologies had been received from Andrew Edwards.Item 2: Declarations of interestWC46/2.1 Alison Parken made a declaration of interest regarding her work with the Welsh Government on the Gender Review Steering Group in relation to the paper on the PSED. Item 3: Reflections on senior stakeholder engagementWC46/3.1 Members reflected on the discussion of socio-economic inequality in the Blaenau Gwent county and the impact of welfare reforms and austerity on community cohesion. Members discussed the Asset Based Community Development approach within the county and its impact on community engagement. Members reflected on the discussion regarding the aspirations and development of young people in Blaenau Gwent. Members noted the positive development of an upcoming private housing development in the area.WC46/3.2 The Chair asked Members to reflect on the senior stakeholder engagement session with a view to establishing the level of support to maintaining this for future meetingsAction A: To review the level of commitment to holding a senior stakeholder engagement session.Item 4: Update from the Chair of the Wales Committee (EHRC WC 46.01)WC46/4.1 The Committee received an update from the Board meeting. Members noted the news that the Commission’s sponsor department would be the Cabinet Office from April 2019.WC46/4.2The Committee received an update on the Chair’s recent meeting with Julie James AM, Leader of the House. The meeting had been positive, including a discussion on the upcoming Welsh Government leadership election and Brexit. WC46/4.2The Chair informed members about an upcoming Board ‘Effectiveness Review’ and members welcomed the opportunity to evaluate the Committee’s current processes. Members noted the dates for the review.WC46.4.3 The Chair updated members on the Tailored Review. Members noted the Tailored Review and the Commission’s formal response to the Review.WC46/4.4The Chair updated members on the recent ‘Inclusive Apprenticeships: Disability Action Plan’ event. The Chair commented on the success of the event, which was well attended by key stakeholders. The chair noted that this Government commitment responded to indications given under PSED monitoring that inclusive apprenticeships could be a future area of enforcement for the Commission.Action B: To maintain an option for inclusive apprenticeships to be a future area of enforcement for the Commission.Item 5: Head of Wales update (EHRC WC 46.02)WC46/5.1 The Head of Wales provided an update on the Commission in Wales including an update on staff matters and the impact of IWF and the Annual Review. WC46/5.2 The Head of Wales advised members that additional funding had been secured to hold an ‘Is Wales Fairer?’ focused event in North Wales in the early spring.WC46/5.3 The Head of Wales informed members that we had been asked to provide a short summary on our PSED monitoring to WG to influence the Equality Minister’s annual report.Item 6: Business Planning for 2019/20 (in the context of the draft Strategic Plan (EHRC WC 46.03)WC46/6.1 The Committee received a paper on the 2019/20 Business Plan. Members were advised that the structure of business planning for 2019/20 had been amended to be a more simplified process, containing fewer items and an increased focus on impact.WC46/6.2 Committee members discussed the timetable of business planning and highlighted the need for Committee members to have oversight of a detailed Business Plan prior to the next Committee meeting in February. Members sought clarification on the dates for upcoming Committee meetings.Action C: Advise planning team of Wales Committee date in February to allow time for paper to be writtenAction D: Re-circulate Wales Committee meeting dates for the year to membersWC46/6.3 Committee were advised that the Business Plan is to be developed alongside the Strategic Plan. Members sought clarification on the development of the Strategic Plan and discussed the need to have an understanding of the Strategic Plan process and to provide input prior to the Commissioners meeting in January. Action E: Circulate the 9 Strategic Plan priorities to Committee members for their feedbackAction F: Circulate link to the online strategic plan consultation to membersWC46/6.4 Members raised concerns that the Tailored Review highlights the need for the Commission to have a more contained focus on priorities but does not provide a process for prioritisation. Members suggested the need to receive feedback from the Commission centrally in regards to communicating the Strategic Plan to stakeholders. Action G: Consider providing members with a communication training session and/or tools on the Strategic PlanWC46/6.5 Members discussed the current strategic plan consultation and the need to recognise the devolved policy context of Wales. Members expressed concern regarding suitable resources for Wales specific priorities. Officers highlighted the mechanism to capture Wales specific data from the strategic plan consultation responses. Item 6:Public Sector Equality Duty (EHRC WC 46.04)WC46/6.1 Members were presented with a paper on the Public Sector Equality Duty as an extension of Agenda Item 3 from meeting 45. Members were updated on the results from a recent PSED monitoring report and were advised that this prompted the need to review the effectiveness of the specific duties. Members noted the helpfulness of latest paper which provided a wide outlook and clear questions.WC46/6.2 The Committee agreed that the specific duties should require public authorities to focus their equality objectives on addressing the key inequalities affecting their staff and service users, and that there should be a good evidence eg IWF? Used to inform local determination of priorities. Members highlighted the concern that there is an excessive focus on process and suggested the need to have an outcome focus for equality objectives. Members suggested a revision of the 12 month reporting timescale to improve the effectiveness of the specific duties.WC46/6.4Members expressed concerns regarding the layering of obligations placed upon public bodies. Members suggested the need to work collaboratively with auditing bodies in Wales to measure the equality and wellbeing attainments of public bodies. WC46/6.3 The Committee agreed that public bodies should be required to set out action plans for meeting their equality objectives and to report on their progress in meeting their objectives. Members suggested the need to achieve and monitor a measure of compliance with the PSED to assess how public bodies are meeting equality objectives.Item 7: Race equality sub group update (EHRC WC 46.05)WC46/7.1 The Committee was presented with a paper on the work of the Race Equality Sub Group and the Commission’s work on race and ethnicity in Wales.WC46/7.2 The Committee discussed calls from some organisations for the re-establishment of the Commission for Racial Equality. WC45/7.3 Members agreed the need to set up a learning session on race inequality issues in Wales and discussed possible dates. The Chair highlighted the need for all members of the Committee to prioritise the session for it to be arranged.Action H: Contact Committee members to arrange a joint learning session on race inequality issues in WalesWC46/7.4 Members agreed to the publication of an ‘Is Wales Fairer?’ follow up briefing focused on race inequality and highlighted it would be useful to have the briefing available during the upcoming learning session. The Chair thanked officers for the factual and targeted graphics that were designed for the ‘Is Wales Fairer?’ launch.WC46/7.5 Members of the Sub Group provided their reflections on the development of the group. Members agreed to the continuation of the group as an ad-hoc sub group to provide focused discussion.Item 8: Wales Programme - Performance report 2018-19 Q1 report (EHRC WC 46.06)WC46/8.1 The Committee was provided with a paper on the Wales Programme – Performance Report. Members noted the paper and noted that 3 programme deliverables are delayed. Members noted that the budget is due to be overspent in some areas.WC46/8.2 The Committee was notified of the cost of translation services and the need for a future discussion on requirements for Commission events in Wales.Action I: To review the use of translation services at the next Wales Committee meetingItem 9: Minutes of the previous meeting (EHRC WC 44.07)WC44/9.1The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.Item 13: Current matters arising (EHRC WC 44.08)WC44/9.1The Committee noted the matters arising list. Close of meeting ................
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