Agenda item - Inclusive Cities Project

Report of the Executive Director for Neighbourhoods, Communities & Housing

RESOLVED – 1: That the Committee agree to Brighton & Hove City Council joining eleven other UK local authorities as part of the Inclusive Cities project which will run from now until June 2022;

(2) That the Committee agree that the elected member representative to work on this project will be Councillor Grimshaw, lead member for equalities, alongside the operational lead within the Communities, Equality and Third Sector Team;

(3) That the committee note that the task force to lead this piece of work – as required for participation in the project (paragraph 3.3 of the report) will form a sub-group of and report into the city’s Equality and Inclusion Partnership;

(4) That the Committee agree that the elected member representative and the operational lead within the Communities, Equality and Third Sector Team report back to the Tourism, Equalities, communities and Culture Committee once a year until June 2022 to inform the Committee about progress made and to receive feedback and input; and

(5) That the Committee agree that due attention is paid to intersectionality (i.e., double-discrimination) by the task force and that the task force aims to achieve a representation as wide and as diverse as possible during the duration of the Inclusive Cities Project.

8.1       The Committee considered a report of the Executive Director, Neighbourhoods, Communities and Housing detailing the Inclusive Cities project which Brighton & Hove had been invited to join and the commitments expected of the local authority if it was to become part of this project. The report went on to describe the benefits of Brighton & Hove joining this project and the ways in which it would enhance the city’s work on diversity, inclusion, equalities and Brighton and Hove’s status as a City of Sanctuary.

8.2       It was noted that additions/amendments (set out in bold italic text), had been put by the Green Group, proposed by Councillor Rainey and seconded by Councillor Ebel. These had been circulated prior to the meeting and are set out below:

“2.1 That the Committee agree to Brighton & Hove City Council joining eleven other UK local authorities as part of the Inclusive Cities project which runs from now until June2022;

2.2 That the Committee agree that the elected member representative to work on this project will be Councillor Grimshaw, lead member for equalities, alongside the operational lead within the Communities, Equality and Third Sector Team;

2.3 That the committee note that the task force to lead this piece of work – as required for participation in the project (see paragraph 3.3) will form a sub-group of and report into the city’s Equality and Inclusion Partnership;

2.4 That the Committee agree that the elected member representative and the operational lead within the Communities, Equality and Third Sector Team report back to the TECC Committee once a year until June 2022 to inform the Committee about progress made and to receive feedback and input; and

2.5 That the Committee agree that due attention is paid to intersectionality (i.e. double-discrimination) by the task force and that the task force aims to achieve a representation as wide and as diverse as possible during the duration of the Inclusive Cities project.”

8.3       Councillors Ebel and Rainey spoke in support of their proposed additions/amendments explaining that whilst fully supportive of the report and its recommendations they considered it vital that measures were put into place to ensure that the outcomes of this very this important piece of work were reported appropriately across the council.

8.4       Councillor Simson stated that welcoming the work that had been done and supportive of the recommendations set out in the report she had some concerns that there could be financial implications arising from this work notwithstanding that it was asserted that there would not be.

8.5       Councillor Mears echoed those concerns considering that it was important for financing to be in place for the duration of a project, that was not always the case. It was also important for work to be carried forward proactively in co-operation with the home office.

8.6       Dr Sasidharan supported both the report and the proposed amendments commending the work which had been done to date.

8.7       Councillor Powell welcomed the work which had been done to address hate crime it was commendable that Brighton was an open city that welcomed all without prejudice.

8.8       The Green Group amendments were voted on and accepted and then became the substantive recommendations, were voted on and were agreed unanimously.

8.9       RESOLVED – 1: That the Committee agree to Brighton & Hove City Council joining eleven other UK local authorities as part of the Inclusive Cities project which will run from now until June 2022;

(2) That the Committee agree that the elected member representative to work on this project will be Councillor Grimshaw, lead member for equalities, alongside the operational lead within the Communities, Equality and Third Sector Team;

(3) That the committee note that the task force to lead this piece of work – as required for participation in the project (paragraph 3.3 of the report) will form a sub-group of and report into the city’s Equality and Inclusion Partnership;

(4) That the Committee agree that the elected member representative and the operational lead within the Communities, Equality and Third Sector Team report back to the Tourism, Equalities, communities and Culture Committee once a year until June 2022 to inform the Committee about progress made and to receive feedback and input; and

(5) That the Committee agree that due attention is paid to intersectionality (i.e., double-discrimination) by the task force and that the task force aims to achieve a representation as wide and as diverse as possible during the duration of the Inclusive Cities Project.