Encouraging Diversity, Promoting Talent

As a major employer, the Council is taking positive steps to prevent discrimination, and to redress imbalances in its workforce; in order to provide genuine equality of opportunity and promote diversity at all levels within the organisation.

The Council aims to treat all employees with dignity and respect and provide a working environment free from discrimination and harassment.

Every possible step will be taken to ensure that employees and job applicants are treated equally and fairly and that decisions on recruitment, selection, training and promotion are based on agreed criteria. In particular, no applicant or employee will be placed at a disadvantage by criterion, provision or practice that are not necessary to the performance of the job, or which constitute indirect discrimination.

The Council believes that it is in the Authority's interests and those who work for it to be committed to the use, development and retention of the full range of skills and talents of its employees, and will work to provide an employment environment in which everyone has the opportunity to contribute and develop.

Employees will be involved in the regular reviewing and monitoring of the Equlity and Diversity policy to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.

The Council is a member of Stonewalls Champion Programme and has recently been benchmarked in the Equality Workplace Index. It has also been accredited as a "Positive About Disabled People" employer and is fully committed to implementing the commitments that this entails. Applicants with disabilities who fully meet the Part One requirements listed in the person specification will be long-listed.