Agenda item

Question

I, along with other Wokingham Residents were invited to participate in WBC’s Equality review, after a summer of unrest due to the Council’s attitude about the Black Lives Matter movement.  We complained and made representation to the Council which gained negative media attention.  Did you invite us to participate in the Review so that you can keep us quiet and on-side?

Question

I, along with other Wokingham Residents were invited to participate in WBC’s Equality review, after a summer of unrest due to the Council’s attitude about the Black Lives Matter movement.  We complained and made representation to the Council which gained negative media attention.  Did you invite us to participate in the Review so that you can keep us quiet and on-side?

Answer

Thank you for the question.  You were certainly not invited to join the review to be kept quiet – completely the opposite, you were invited to take part in the review because we want to hear and understand your opinions and experiences – along with those of others - so that these can help make our equalities plans and practices better.

I very much appreciate the time you gave to this and hope that you will be able to continue your involvement.  As regards to being on-side, I certainly hope we are on the same side as what I want is a Borough Council that tackles inequality, celebrates diversity and challenges all discrimination.

As the Equality Plan being discussed tonight sets out, we are committed to ongoing improvement through collaboration with the community.  This is an ongoing challenge that needs external scrutiny as well as support and I sincerely hope you will continue to be part of that.  The more engagement we have as a Council with groups with protected characteristics and our residents generally the better we will be able to make progress in this vital area.  I hope it continues at a working level and not limited to Council questions.  The work can only progress with consent with genuine wish to improve the lives of our residents and with cooperation of the whole community.  We need all of you to actively participate in the solutions enthusiastically, cooperatively and collegiately.

Supplementary Question

Invitations and promises about the equality initiatives and review are very encouraging and I agree your residents should have a voice and be at the heart of decision making.  Whilst I recognise the work that has been done so far, I am concerned that it is not truly representative of our diverse communities.  The Equalities Survey had 563 responses and the Equality Plan has been built on those responses alongside broad data points.  However, the ethnic majority population in the Borough is over 17,500.  So, a) how can the Equality Plan be built on 563 responses, not all of which are from non white residents? b) without any consultation from the BME Forum who are meant to be your critical friends in these matters and c) without full engagement of claimed community groups?

Supplementary Answer

I fully accept that we do not have all the answers at the moment.  We are on the initial steps of a very long journey, and that is what we are trying to do in all good faith.  You can criticise us easily for not having done enough and I criticise us for not having done enough, but we are on that journey and we would like your cooperation and help to put us on a course that will generate continuous improvement.