Equality Act and Single Equality Scheme

The Equality Act 2010 protects people from discrimination on the basis of protected characteristics. These characteristics are:

  • Age
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment
  • Marriage or civil partnership (employment situations only)
  • Pregnancy and maternity
  • Race
  • Religion or belief
  • Sex (gender)
  • Sexual orientation

Public bodies, such as East Staffordshire Borough Council, are also required to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty. The three aims of the general equality duty are, in summary, that those subject to the equality duty must, in the exercise of their functions, have due regard to the need to:

  • eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct prohibited by the Act
  • 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

In addition, public authorities are also required to:

  • Publish sufficient information to demonstrate its compliance with the general equality duty across its functions
  • Prepare and publish equality objectives

Single Equality Scheme

East Staffordshire Borough Council is committed to the creation of a fairer East Staffordshire for everyone.  We are committed to providing good quality services shaped by an understanding of the needs of different people and ensuring that how we employ people and deliver services promotes equality and challenges inequality.  We will seek to understand East Staffordshire’s communities and to work effectively to reduce and eliminate disadvantage, unlawful discrimination and hate crime.

The Single Equality Scheme recognises our legal responsibilities as set out in the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the protected characteristics of sex, gender reassignment, disability, race, age, marriage and civil partnership, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity and sexual orientation.

Please take a look at East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Single Equality Scheme.

Further Information

The Council’s equality objectives