Equality & Diversity Policy - August 2026

6. Responsibilities and Accountabilities

6.1 The Executive Board/Chief Executive

Ultimately responsible and accountable for ensuring that we meet our legal and policy obligations in relation to Equality and Diversity. In particular they will:

• Demonstrate clear leadership with senior commitment and accountability for mainstreaming diversity and equality into every aspect of the organisation and service delivery;

• Ensure compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and all associated employment legislation and codes of practice;

• Ensure Welsh Government’s strategic equality objectives for local government in Wales are translated into specific actions within our Strategic Equality Plan;

• Act with dignity, show respect for others and develop a workplace that is inclusive and confident, free from bullying, harassment and discrimination;

• Make our organisation a good place to work that attracts, develops and retains the most talented people from the widest range of backgrounds;

• Ensure you have the skills and tools you need to support our performance by understanding and responding to the needs of our customers.

6.2 Directors

All Directors are responsible for:

• Co-ordinating a strategic and corporate approach to the management of equality and diversity issues;

• Ensuring that equality and diversity issues are mainstreamed in the planning and delivery of the services for which they have responsibility;

• Ensuring that equality and diversity is integral to every aspect of the employment cycle for our staff;

• Ensuring that equality impact assessments are undertaken for the service areas and policies for which they are responsible in line with corporate guidance;

• The implementation of our Strategic Equality Plan and Objectives within their respective Departments and are accountable for operational compliance;

• Personally undertaking, and supporting our staff in, development activities to ensure they have the knowledge and understanding to deliver services which are accessible to everyone within the diverse community.

6.3 Assistant Chief Executive (People, Digital and Policy)

The lead officer for workplace equality and diversity and responsible for ensuring the development of policy, guidance and advice, to support the Authority’s compliance as an employer and promotion of equality and diversity with the legal and policy framework.

6.4 The Heads of Service

Responsible for:

• A strategic and corporate approach to the management of equality and diversity within the service area for which they are responsible as an integral part of the business planning process;

• Promoting, implementing and communicating the equality and diversity policy within the service area and leading by example;

• Incorporating equality and diversity principles into job profiles and work objectives;

• Ensuring those responsible for recruitment and selection, induction, learning and development, performance appraisal, pay, promotion, disciplinary action, selection for retirement and redundancy, dismissal, organisational communication and working practices, understand their role and responsibility in relation to promoting equality and diversity and to avoid discrimination in all its forms;

• Ensure that the necessary internal arrangements and resources are in place to enable our organisation to meet its statutory obligations and promote equality and diversity.

Heads of Service are accountable to their departmental Directors for the performance of their Departmental Management Team in relation to equality and diversity through the performance management process. The information provided from this process will provide key evidence for our performance monitoring and will be needed for other audits (internal or external) and reporting purposes to scrutiny and Cabinet.

6.5 Managers and Supervisors

All managers and supervisors are responsible for ensuring that they and their teams carry out all their duties in accordance with this policy and associated policies and guidance by:

• Leading by example and improving personal leadership abilities in promoting equality and diversity through participation in relevant management development;

• Ensuring the equality and diversity policy is communicated to the team and individuals understand their personal responsibilities;

• Challenging inappropriate behaviour in the workplace and promoting positive employee relationships;

• Identifying individual training and development needs in relation to equality and diversity as part of the Helping People to Perform appraisal process.

6.6 Employees

You, our employees, at all levels are personally responsible for ensuring that you support positively, the principles of equality and diversity always, co-operate by promoting good relations and challenge inappropriate behaviour by following the values set out in this policy, the Employee Code of Conduct and associated policies and guidance. If you have any concern, you should raise this with your manager at the earliest opportunity in the first instance. You should also consider your own development needs in relation to equality and diversity as part of the appraisal process.

6.7 Councillors

Councillors have a personal responsibility to all of you and members of the public to uphold the values set out in this policy, promote good relations and challenge inappropriate behaviour where appropriate. Councillors are responsible for ensuring that they support positively the principle of equality and diversity in undertaking their public duties and follow the Code of Conduct for Councillors and associated policies and procedures. Councillors should consider their own development needs and will be supported through the Standards Committee and Councillor’s Development Programme.

6.8 Members of the Public

Members of the public can expect to be treated with dignity and respect in line with this policy and the Employee and Councillor Codes of Conduct.

It is also the responsibility of members of the public to ensure that you are treated with dignity and respect.

6.9 Partners and Contractors

We work collaboratively with a range of partners and contractors and the public duty to eliminate discrimination and promote equality and diversity will extend to them when they are delivering a service jointly with us or on our behalf. Partners and contractors have a responsibility to uphold the values set out in this policy as part of the contract for service.