Foreword by Bill Revens and Duncan Sharkey
Somerset is a county rich in opportunity, offering exceptional natural beauty, major developments such as Hinkley Point and the Gravity site in Bridgwater, and a thriving arts, food, and hospitality sector. These strengths are underpinned by our commitment to be welcoming and including everyone.
We believe it is important for everyone living and working in Somerset to have an opportunity to broaden their understanding of differences, whilst raising awareness as to how our own life experiences shape the way that each of us sees the world and other people in it.
We believe that tackling inequality, challenging discrimination, and promoting inclusion are essential to building a fairer, cohesive and prosperous community. Somerset Council is committed to leading by example, working collaboratively, investing in communities, and responding to feedback to improve services.
By placing fairness at the heart of all our work, and promoting equality of opportunity and community cohesion, we aim to create a more inclusive future for all.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy embodies our commitment to our employees, communities and those that use our services, where every individual feels respected, valued and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. It also makes it clear the responsibility we all have to contribute to inclusion and respect one another.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) strategy provides our commitment for the next four years to continue our work to improve equality of opportunity for everyone who lives and works in our county.
The strategy is underpinned by our vision to be a council where everyone feels valued, respected and empowered to participate fully in civic life. This is underpinned by our values of:
- Respect: Treat everyone with dignity.
- Fairness: Ensure equity in access and outcomes.
- Transparency: Be open and accountable.
- Collaboration: Work with communities to co-design solutions.
Thank you for taking the time to read this strategy. We look forward to working together to make it a reality.
Bill Revens, Duncan Sharkey, Portfolio Holders for EDI
Meeting our Equality Duties as a Local Authority
As a local authority, Somerset Council has a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to:
- eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
- advance equality of opportunity between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
- foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not
Our equality strategy brings together the work that is already happening at Somerset Council to meet these aims. It also provides us with a framework to check how well we are doing in making services that are fully accessible, inclusive, and delivered by people who reflect the diverse communities that we serve in a consistent way.